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JUBA, July 9-- South Sudan, the youngest nation in the world, marked nine years of independence on Thursday, without an official public event. The country's independence in 2011 was met with fanfare and celebration, but the past nine years have not been easy for ordinary citizens. Just two years after gaining sovereignty from Sudan, the oil-rich east African country descended into brutal civil war in December 2013. The civil war killed tens of thousands and displaced millions of people while pushing others into abject poverty. Even after the signing of a peace agreement in September 2018, South Sudan is still facing many challenges like inter-communal violence, food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic. "In the past nine years, there is nothing much I realized from South Sudan being an independent state," said Susan Lodu, a restaurant owner in the capital Juba. She told Xinhua Wednesday that she was upbeat when her motherland got independence in 2011, with the hope that life would get better. "Next year, we want to see peace not violence in South Sudan," she added. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS Despite the numerous problems facing South Sudan, the country has made some achievements since 2011. The establishment of a transitional unity government in February this year following six years of devastating violence was a major step towards peace in South Sudan. | 
