A peace deal aimed at ending the civil war in South Sudan has finally been signed by the government and opposition rivals.
The president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir was joined by the country’s main rebel group leader Riek Machar to sign the deal in Sudan.
The signing of the deal on Sunday is expected to bring a final cease fire into place and usher in a power-sharing arrangement.
New deal
The new deal will provide for five vice presidents for South Sudan and protect a power sharing arrangement.
Per the deal former Vice-President Riek Machar is expected to return to his former position.
The transitional government would govern for three years.
What the leaders have been saying
President Kiir said at the signing ceremony that he calls “on everyone as a leader of South Sudan that this agreement which we have signed today…. be the end of the war and the conflict in our country.”
“My government and I know the conflict in South Sudan has resulted in a financial and political burden,”
“We must accept that the internal war has no meaning and has imposed suffering on us and our families and has killed hundreds of our young men and women, destroyed our economy, and left us divided,” Kiir said.
Rebel leader Riek Machar also remarked that “today we celebrate, not just in South Sudan, but throughout the world.”
“there is no option but peace … we have to focus after this stage on implementing the agreement that if we don’t implement, we will all be failures.”
Past deals failed
The most recent deal was signed in 2015 but it did not help to end the conflict.
Kiir before Sunday’s signing ceremony said “The 2015 (deal) was forced on us, we were not given the opportunity to express our desire. This is why when I came sign… I gave my reservations”.
“People didn’t take me seriously until the agreement collapsed in their face.”
Sudan and other East African nations have helped to broker this new peace deal.
The foreign minister of Sudan, Al-Dirdiri Mohamed said on Sudan state television “An agreement on outstanding issues has been signed and this agreement expresses the commitment of all parties to a ceasefire.”
Thousands of people have died in the 2013 civil war after troops loyal to the rebel leader Machar clashed with government troops.
South Sudan gained independence in 2011 from north Sudan but fighting broke out two years later.
Source: Africafeeds.com
