ADDID ABABA (Reuters) - South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed a peace deal on Wednesday in the margins of a summit in Ethiopia.

South Sudan plunged into a devastating war two years after its 2011 independence, when a political dispute between Kiir and Machar exploded into military confrontation.

A previous 2015 peace deal fell apart after Machar forced out of Juba in a battle with government forces that killed tens of thousands. </s> ADDID ABABA, Sept 12 (Reuters) - South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed a peace deal on Wednesday in the margins of a summit in Ethiopia.

South Sudan plunged into a devastating war two years after its 2011 independence, when a political dispute between Kiir and Machar exploded into military confrontation.

A previous 2015 peace deal fell apart after Machar forced out of Juba in a battle with government forces that killed tens of thousands. (Reporting by Aaron Maasho in Addis Ababa Writing by Denis Dumo in Juba Editing by Ingrid Melander) </s> South Sudan's President Salva Kiir signed a peace agreement with rebel factions in the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday (September 12) to end a civil war that has killed at least 50,000 people, displaced two million and held up the country's progress since it gained independence seven years ago.

South Sudan plunged into warfare two years after independence from Sudan in 2011 when a political dispute between Kiir and then vice-president Riek Machar erupted into armed confrontation.

A previous peace deal signed in 2015 fell apart a year later after clashes broke out between government forces and rebels.

Machar, leader of the main rebel group the SPLM-IO, and other insurgent factions signed the new agreement with the Juba government after assurances that a power-sharing accord would be honoured. The deal, mediated by Sudan, reinstates Machar to his former role as vice-president.

The United States, Britain and Norway, known as the Troika which back peace efforts, welcomed the signing of the deal.

The United Kingdom special representative for Sudan and South Sudan, Chris Trott, said: "(I) hope that the discussions will remain open to those who are not yet convinced of the sustainability of this agreement. We remain concerned about the parties' level of commitment to this agreement and to the cessation of hostilities agreement signed in Addis Ababa in December. In Wau for example, military offensive has been undertaken since the signing of the most recent ceasefire. "

The civil war started in 2013, fuelled by personal and ethnic rivalries. The conflict has killed at least 50,000 people, many of them civilians, according to the United Nations. </s> South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader, Riek Machar, signed a peace agreement on Wednesday in …Read more via Premium Times Nigeria – https://ift.tt/2p0pro2 Get more World News </s> ADDIS ABABA: South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed a peace agreement on Wednesday in the margins of a regional summit in Ethiopia.

South Sudan plunged into warfare two years after gaining independence from Sudan in 2011 when a political dispute between Kiir and Machar exploded into military confrontation.

A previous peace deal signed in 2015 fell apart a year later after clashes broke out between government forces and rebels, forcing Machar to leave Juba.

The new agreement, mediated by Sudan, reinstates Machar, a former vice-president, to his former role.

The United States, Britain and Norway, known as the Troika which oversees peace efforts, welcomed the signature of the deal by Kiir, Machar and other groups.

"We hope discussions will remain open to those who are not yet convinced of the sustainability of this agreement," they said in a statement. "We must seize this broader regional momentum to secure peace for the people of South Sudan." </s> South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader, Riek Machar, signed a peace agreement on Wednesday in the margins of a regional summit in Ethiopia.

South Sudan plunged into warfare two years after gaining independence from Sudan in 2011 when a political dispute between Messrs Kiir and Machar exploded into military confrontation.

A previous peace deal signed in 2015 fell apart a year later after clashes broke out between government forces and rebels, forcing Mr Machar to leave Juba.

The new agreement, mediated by Sudan, reinstates Mr Machar, a former vice-president, to his former role.

The U.S., Britain and Norway, known as the Troika which oversees peace efforts, welcomed the signature of the deal by Messrs Kiir, Machar and other groups.

“We hope discussions will remain open to those, who are not yet convinced of the sustainability of this agreement,” they said in a statement.

“We must seize this broader regional momentum to secure peace for the people of South Sudan.”

South Sudan’s civil war erupted in 2013, less than two years after it had gained independence from Sudan.

The war has uprooted a quarter of South Sudan’s 12 million population, ruined the country’s agriculture and battered its economy. </s> South Sudan's President Salva Kiir signed a peace deal with main rebel leader Riek Machar on Wednesday, formally ending a five-year war that killed tens of thousands.

The deal, mediated by Sudan and signed in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, reinstated Machar in his former role as vice-president and comes two weeks after a peace deal was officially agreed upon between the government and rebel groups.

"The eyes of the world are upon us as the South Sudan leaders commit today to press for reconciliation and lasting peace in their country," Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said ahead of the signing.

About four million South Sudanese were displaced in half a decade of fighting.

Government spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told The Associated Press that Kiir, Machar, as well as other opposition parties signed the "final final" deal. He said the agreement is acceptable to all parties and noted Kiir and Machar had an amicable chat.

Previous peace deals have held for only a matter of months before fighting resumed, and in late August Machar caused anxiety among negotiators by refusing to sign.

Wednesday's agreement was met with cautious optimism by David Shearer, head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan.

"With the signing of this revitalised agreement, we should publicly acknowledge it is but one step on the road to peace, but one which lays the foundation for all that follows," he said.

The three countries that oversaw peace efforts in the country, the United States, Britain and Norway, echoed Shearer's concerns.

"We hope discussions will remain open to those who are not yet convinced of the sustainability of this agreement. We must seize this broader regional momentum to secure peace for the people of South Sudan," they said in a statement.

"We hope discussions will remain open to those who are not yet convinced of the sustainability of this agreement."

Kiir has blamed the collapse of previous peace agreements on foreign influence.

The warring parties have held weeks of talks in Khartoum in search of a comprehensive peace deal to end the conflict.

In June, an initial agreement was signed to end the fighting, but Machar rejected some proposals such as having three different capitals to distribute power.

South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013, shortly after independence in 2011, after Kiir accused Machar, then his deputy, of plotting a coup.

Last July, the UN issued an arms embargo and sanctions on two military officials in an attempt to force the warring parties to the table.

The war has uprooted one-quarter of South Sudan's population of 12 million, ruined the country's agriculture sector, and battered its economy.

South Sudan resumed pumping 20,000 barrels a day of crude oil from the Toma South oilfield last month, where production had been suspended since 2013 because of the civil war.

Income from oil accounts for 98 percent of the country's budget. </s> South Sudan's President Salva Kiir signed a peace agreement with rebel factions in the Ethiopian capital on Wednesday to end a civil war that has killed at least 50,000 people, displaced two million and held up the country's progress since it gained independence seven years ago.

South Sudan plunged into warfare two years after independence from Sudan in 2011 when a political dispute between Kiir and then vice-president Riek Machar erupted into armed confrontation.

A previous peace deal signed in 2015 fell apart a year later after clashes broke out between government forces and rebels. Machar, leader of the main rebel group the SPLM-IO, and other insurgent factions signed the new agreement with the Juba government after assurances that a power-sharing accord would be honored. The deal, mediated by Sudan, reinstates Machar to his former role as vice-president.

The stability of South Sudan is also important for Sudan and other neighbouring countries, who fear a new flare up of the conflict could flood them with refugees.

The civil war started in 2013, fuelled by personal and ethnic rivalries. The conflict has killed at least 50,000 people, many of them civilians, according to the United Nations.

An estimated quarter of South Sudan's population of 12 million has been displaced and its economy, which heavily relies on crude oil production, ruined.

The secession of South Sudan also hit Khartoum's economy hard, taking with it most of the region's oil reserves. Khartoum and Juba agreed in June to repair oil infrastructure facilities destroyed by the war within three months to boost production and said a joint force would be established to protect oilfields from attacks by rebels.

The United States, Britain and Norway, known as the Troika which back peace efforts, welcomed the signing of the deal.

“We hope discussions will remain open to those who are not yet convinced of the sustainability of this agreement,” they said in a statement. “We must seize this broader regional momentum to secure peace for the people of South Sudan.”

Mahboub Maalim, executive secretary of the East African bloc IGAD, said the rivals had been at odds over security arrangements and governance but that the final version of the deal had addressed disagreements.

“This is probably the best-negotiated proposal signed so far,” he told Reuters after it was signed at a meeting of IGAD leaders.

Asked what a failure to implement the deal would entail, Maalim said: “We expect the South Sudanese sides to embrace the wind of change in the region.”

The region has seen a series of stunning rapprochements over the past months, including a reconciliation between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

IGAD had been expected to readmit Eritrea as a member on Wednesday, 11 years after Asmara walked out on the body in protest at Ethiopian forces entering Somalia. But that move was postponed for procedural reasons and was likely to take place in the bloc’s next gathering, officials said. </s> Lt-Gen Lam cited inconsistency in President Salva Kiir's leadership as the reason for his resignation.

He is a member of the opposition faction headed by First Vice President Taban Deng Gai.

Lt-Gen Lam said he was unhappy with the direction President Kiir was leading the country.

He described the Unity Government as partial transitional government of national unity.

“Without wasting much of your time, ladies and gentlemen of the press, I Lt. General Gabriel Duop Lam, the National Minister of Labour, Public Service and Human Resource Development in the Republic of South Sudan, with sound mind and excellent rule of reasoning, do hereby officially resign from the position of being the minister in the so called Government of National Unity with effect from February 17,” he said in letter circulated to the media in Juba.

Lt-Gen Duop also declared allegiance to the rebel leader, Dr Riek Machar, who is leading an armed struggle against President Kiir.

Last week, a top army commander, Gen Thomas Cirilo, also cut ties with President Kiir and quit military service.

South Sudan peace remains at stake despite pledges from the president to enforce stability across the country.

ALSO READ: Top UN official says President Kiir not committed to peace

Over a million South Sudanese have become refugees since the conflict erupted in 2013. Thousands more have lost their lives.

The security situation remains tense in Eastern and Central Equatoria and in Upper Nile’s Malakal and Unity areas.
President of South Sudan Salva Kiir and leader of SPLM-IO Riek Machar reach a peace agreement. Other rebel factions are also expected to join a reformed government.