South Sudan has become the newest country to join the International Olympic Committee, following a unanimous vote by the global sporting body’s members.

The announcement was made today by the committees’ president, Thomas Bach at the 126th Session at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The unanimous recognition of the country’s Olympic Committee drew a loud round of applause from the IOC members.

South Sudan can now send a team to next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics and compete under its own flag.