The nation declared its independence from the northern Sudan Saturday after the longest civil war in Africa’s history - a war that caused an estimated 2 million deaths. But freedom is only the first step. Building this landlocked, underdeveloped region into a functioning state will require a continuing commitment by the international community - and considerable statesmanship from its new president, Salva Kiir.

South Sudan has the highest incidence of maternal death and the lowest rate of elementary school enrollment in the world. Only 25 percent of its people are literate, and only 30 percent have access to drinking water - while 90 percent live on $1 or less a day. Its leadership is filled with former rebels.

Meanwhile, the potential remains for disputes with northern Sudan. Northern President Omar Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for atrocities in Darfur, agreed to the south’s secession only reluctantly. The two sides have yet to settle certain boundaries or decide on access to oil revenue, the lifeline for both nations. South Sudan produces the oil, but the north has the pipelines and transportation access to take it to international markets. Discussions between the parties, supported by the African Union, continue in neighboring Ethiopia.

In the meantime, the United States, a key player in the 2005 agreement that led to this peaceful secession, has committed $150 million in food aid, $300 million in development funds, and capital investments for roads, schools, and highways. But South Sudan won’t be built on foreign donations alone. Hopefully, US private investment will flourish now that South Sudan is no longer governed by Bashir and his pariah regime.

In some ways, South Sudan is lucky. It has fought and voted for independence, and it has natural resources that can help sustain it in the future. Still, both the new government and an international community wary of nation building should recognize that this new start is just that - a start.