South Sudan’s President Kiir has signed a peace agreement Wednesday with the rebels which will set the pace for a ceasefire to kick in within 72 hours. The foreign minister of Sudan where the deal was brokered has confirmed to the press although some parts of the agreement were rejected by the rebels.
The war between soldiers under the command of President Salva Kiir and troops loyal to the former Vice-President Riek Machar which broke in 2013, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, 3 million more have been displaced as they flee from violence. Previous attempts to broker a peace accord has been shortlived.
Ahead of a final settlement that would allow for humanitarian assistance to be delivered, prisoners freed and a transitional unity government to be formed after four months as part of the framework agreement. The Sudanese foreign minister Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed has said.
Barely two days of talks between President Salva Kiir and vice-president turned rebel leader Riek Machar has emerged a peace agreement. With other opposition figures, it makes provision for the setting up of a unity government to rule for three years, to be followed by a general election.
Speaking to reporters after the signing ceremony, Machar said ”This agreement signed today and the ceasefire will end the war in South Sudan and opens a new page,” while at the same time praising what he considers as establishing trust with their northern neighbour.
President Kiir has said he would ”commit respectful” to the terms of the deal.
The proposal of three different capitals for South Sudan to distribute power was rejected by the Machar camp. Even the resumption of oil production before any reasonable peace settlement effort was discarded. The idea of foreign troops to be dispatched into Sudan Sudanese territory to monitor the ceasefire was frown upon.
Neba Benson,
BaretaNews Foreign Correspondent/Analyst
3 comments
I knew one day the people of southern Sudan will once and for all truly put aside their differences and look into the brighter future.
Their issue was not one of Arrogance, colonization, assimilation but just plain discontent, political immaturity and a fear of one people trying to deprived another.
I’m very happy they went through this at this early stage of their nation. They have first hand prove that it is not worth it. It makes more sense to truly and genuinely treat you own kind as your own self, rather than to oppress, assimilate, degrade them.
Southern Sudan future will not see the nonsense most African nation are experiencing today.
Another death-born agreement. As far as there will be thoses 2 lunatics and natural ressources in SS there’ll always be war. Anothere example of black selfishness. Good example for Ambazonia fans.
That was a nice one YVELINES.
Those two clowns surely thought flying on their own was going to be a safari tour.
I hope we’re all learning. Tomorrow it might be Boh Herbert and Ayuk flying to LRC to sign a peace deal to pacify the NW/SAWA Ambazonian crisis, on FB tho.