Former rebel leader, Riek Machar was on Feb 22. sworn in the South Sudan’s first Vice President as part towards forming a unity government with his one-time rival, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir.
President expressed hope that despite challenges that peace now will be achieved and that the world’s nation that has been engulfed with civil war will move forward.
Kiir and Machar have twice pushed back the peace deal aimed at forming the unity government after a peace accord was agreed in 2018.
South Sudan’s civil war has left at least 400000 people killed and hundreds of thousands internally displaces and others spilling into the neighboring countries as refugees.
The two leaders on Saturday promised to work together for the benefit and prosperity of the people of South Sudan. Machar stood next to his wife Angelina Teny and took the oath of office in front of Kiir. Afterwards, Machar shook Kiir’s hand signifying the end of war.
Speaking to dignitaries and media, Kiir said noted that that war has ended and peace has come to South Sudan to stay. He reiterated his commitment to work with Machar to implement peace agreement in totality.
South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 but descended into fighting two years later when forces loyal to Kiir and Machar clashed, triggering a civil war that left thousands of civilians in Juba from Machar’s Nuer ethnic group massacred and a spiral of ethnic violence and revenge killings erupted.
