Juba,South Sudan’s opposition leader Riek Machar has agreed to rejoin the government as the First Vice President on Friday, paving the way for the creation of the much-anticipated transitional government of national unity (TGoNU).
Dr Machar, who leads the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO), met with President Salva Kiir in Juba on Thursday ahead of the February 22 deadline, and agreed to form the transitional administration.
They also agreed to address pending issues later.
“We have discussed in greater length to form the government as scheduled,” Dr Machar said.
“South Sudanese should not be held hostage any longer. I and the president (sic) agreed on the time frame of implementing the other outstanding issues in the agreement.”
The South Sudanese President had told the public on Thursday that he would appoint key officials for the positions of vice presidencies on Friday morning, based on the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed in September 2018.
Addressing journalists in Juba after meeting with Dr Machar in Juba, President Kiir reiterated commitments to form a unity government as scheduled in the peace deal.
By The Eastafrica
