South Sudan rivals to sign final power-sharing deal in Khartoum

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02:56

South Sudan's conflicting parties will sign a final deal Sunday on power-sharing and governance in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, Sudan's Foreign Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed announced Saturday.

The minister told a press conference that the parties would not sign a comprehensive peace deal, as some of the South Sudanese opposition factions still have some reservations over the deal.

The dialogue would continue with the factions in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, he added.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir (L), Sudan's President Omar Al-Bashir (C) and South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar hold hands after signing a peace agreement in Khartoum, Sudan, June 27, 2018. /VCG Photo

Heads of state and government of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development in Africa would attend the signing ceremony, Ahmed said.

On July 25, the South Sudanese conflicting parties signed an initial deal of power-sharing and governance prior to signing the final document of the deal on Sunday.

The initial agreement stipulated that South Sudan President Salva Kiir will continue his post during the transitional period, while the opposition leader Riek Machar will assume the position of first vice president.

There will be four vice presidents from different political parties.

Under the agreement, the transitional cabinet would be composed of 35 ministers, including 20 ministers from the government, and nine from the Machar-led Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO).

Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir flanked by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and South Sudanese President Salva Kiir welcome delegates during a South Sudan peace meeting as part of talks to negotiate an end to a civil war, in Khartoum, Sudan, June 25, 2018. /VCG Photo

The deal further stipulated a transitional national legislative body composed of 550 members, with 332 from the government, and 128 from the SPLM-IO.

South Sudan has been witnessing a civil war since December 2013, which has left about 10,000 dead and millions of others displaced.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency