National unity on the move in South Sudan: Riek Machar appointed vice-president

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir alongside Riek Machar in Juba on October 19, 2019 (illustration). REUTERS / Samir Bol

Text by: RFI Follow

South Sudan is expected to have a government of national unity within the next few hours. President Salva Kiir named his rival, rebel leader Riek Machar, vice president last night, Friday. An appointment under the peace agreement signed by the two men to end six years of war. This February 22 was also the deadline for the constitution of this government. Riek Machar should therefore be sworn in during the day.

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After months of delays and several missed deadlines, Riek Machar was finally appointed first vice president. An announcement made Friday evening by presidential decree.

The appointment is in line with the peace agreement signed by Riek Machar and President Salva Kiir in September 2018. Three other people were also appointed to the post of vice president, including Rebecca Nyan-deng, widow of John Garang, rebel leader for the country's independence. All must be sworn in during the day at a ceremony which will be followed by the appointment of the government, governors and administrators.

The formation of this government was the key point of this peace agreement. The closer the deadline approached, the more the worries grew. Last weekend, last minute concessions from President Kiir helped to unblock the situation: he declared himself in favor of a restoration of the ten-state federal system which prevailed at the independence of South Sudan.

The Friday evening announcement was greeted with relief, but a touch of skepticism. Remember that this is the third time that Riek Machar has become number 2 of Salva Kiir. Allies during the struggle for independence, the two men then became rivals and clashed in a conflict that left more than 400,000 dead.

Read also : In South Sudan, the UN accuses the belligerents of "deliberately" starving millions of civilians

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  • South Sudan
  • Riek Machar
  • Salva kiir

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