News / Sudan

Rebel leader Riek Machar to be reinstated as South Sudan vice president

Sunday, 08 July 2018 1:21 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 08 July 2018 1:24 AM ]

South Sudan's opposition leader Riek Machar arrives at Uganda's statehouse in Entebbe July 07, 2018 where he along with South Sudan President are received by Uganda President along with Sudan counterpart among other delegates. (Photo by AFP)

South Sudan’s warring parties have agreed to a power-sharing agreement according to which rebel leader Riek Machar will be reinstated as vice president.

"It has been agreed that there will be four vice presidents: the current two vice presidents, plus Riek Machar (who) will assume the position of first vice president, and then the fourth position will be allocated to a woman from the opposition," said Sudanese Foreign Minister al-Dierdiry Ahmed on Saturday.

The deal was reached in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, in an attempt to end South Sudan's civil war, which broke out in 2013 after a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and Machar turned violent.

The two sides have been involved in a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the impoverished country along the ethnic lines. Tens of thousands have been killed and millions displaced in the conflict.

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Ahmed added that new proposal was "accepted by the government" and that the opposition side had accepted the deal "in principle" but would "consider it and come up with the final position" following further talks.

A similar deal, that returned Machar to the vice presidency, was reached in 2015 but fell apart a year later in a deadly clash which forced Machar into exile.

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