sudan became the first state in the world to recognise south sudan as a sovereign state and said it intended to open an embassy in the south sudanese capital of juba. on the occasion of south sudan's independence, sudanese president omar al-bashir spoke to the delegation present for independence celebrations saying that he "congratulate[s] our brothers and sisters in south sudan on the occasion of the declaration of their new state and the creation of the state of south sudan in this dear part of our homeland." he also added that relations between the two can and must be fostered: