South Sudan: agreement for Riek Machar to become vice-president of Salva Kiir

The government and rebels of South Sudan, a young country embroiled in a civil war since 2013, agreed on Saturday in a power-sharing agreement that will see rebel leader Riek Machar return to his position as vice-president.

"The agreement provides that there will be four vice presidents: the two who are already in office, plus Riek Machar who will occupy the post of senior vice president," said Sudanese Foreign Minister Ahmed Al -Dierdiry, after a meeting of mediators in Kampala.

"The fourth vice-presidency will be awarded to a woman from the opposition," he added, adding that the agreement had been "accepted by the government" of Salva Kiir, while the opposition movement of Riek Machar accepted "the principle", before "to study and give its final position" after a new meeting of negotiations, to begin on Sunday in Khartoum.

This acco rd comes as the United Nations has given the warring parties, President Salva Kiir and his great rival and former Vice President Riek Machar, until the end of June to reach "a viable political agreement" under penalty of sanctions. 19659003] It was concluded Saturday at the conclusion of a meeting organized by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, in the presence of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

Friday, government and rebels of South Sudan, the youngest state of the world, had agreed to withdraw their forces from "urban areas" as part of a security agreement signed in Khartoum.

Salva Kiir and Riek Machar agreed on 27 June to cease fire "permanent", an agreement that revives the hopes of peace in this country devastated by war.

– atrocious atrocities –

But several previous ceasefire agreements have shattered, as in 2016, the year Mr. Machar fled his country. He has since been exiled to South Africa, but continues to enjoy great authority over his movement, the SPLM / A-IO

Two years after gaining independence After decades of fighting in South Sudan, South Sudan crashed into a civil war in 2013 when Kiir accused his former vice president, Riek Machar, of fomenting a coup.

The conflict has left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. Terrible atrocities against civilians have been committed by both sides: ethnic slaughter, the recruitment of child soldiers, mass rape, murder, torture …

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken refuge in Sudan, according to UN

It was started by fighting between rival units of the army, undermined by politico-ethnic antagonisms fueled by rivalry at the head of the regime between MM. Kiir, a member of the Dinka ethnic group, and Machar, a Nuer

Other ethnic groups then joined either camp, often hoping to profit from this alliance in conflicts Local, including territorial.

South Sudan became independent with the essential support of Washington, which remains its largest donor, but which is increasingly dissatisfied with the management of President Salva Kiir's government.