Dignitaries including Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, former Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi and Osman Taha, the First Vice-President of Sudan, UN representatives among others, attended the colourful inauguration.

President Kiir thanked the people for voting for him, urged them to reconcile and heal past wounds, and promised to deliver services.

"We have learned from the past mistakes and this year must be a year of services delivery to the people, no tolerance on corruption will be there in my current government," he said

The top priorities for his new government, he said, are rural transformation, health, education, improving security and rule of law, supporting women and youth, reconciliation, supports to veterans, environmental protection, and the 2011 referenda.

Mr. Kiir also said that poor health facilities in Southern Sudan have amounted to high rate of infant mortality with 1700 per 100,000 deliveries and 250 children per 1000.

"This will be the year of combating child mortality and stepping up our programme on primary health care in all rural areas to ensure and improve health of our people across that region."

Speaking on the referenda, the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) President said that no delays will be accepted and urged his partners in the North to work quickly to implement the remaining agreements for the Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states and comprehensively end the Darfur conflict.

President Kiir, who received 92 per cent of the votes in the April elections, commences a five-year term, with Dr. Riek Machar Teny as the Vice President. He is expected to form his new Government of Southern Sudan by early June.