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TIRANA, Albania’s Foreign Minister formally recognized the independence of South Sudan.
“The Albanian government welcomed the declaration of independence of South Sudan, on July 9, 2011,” said a statement from the Ministry.
“This act comes as an expression of self-determination for the people of South Sudan, which was confirmed in a referendum on independence, held in January of this year,” it said.
South Sudan became officially independent from the North on July 9, breaking away after more than 50 years of on-and-off war.
The two nations are still at odds over an oil-rich border region, as more than 75 percent of what was Sudan’s daily oil production comes from the South.