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South Sudan's Kiir, Machar Agree (Again) to Form Unity Government

Waakhe Simon Wudu

   JUBA - South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar
   have agreed to form a transitional unity government by a February
   deadline even if they don't resolve key political disputes by that
   time.

   The two leaders, who signed a peace deal in September 2018 under heavy
   pressure from the United Nations, the United States and regional bloc
   IGAD, previously missed two deadlines to form the government. One
   deadline was in May and the most recent was in November.

   Last month, the deadline was pushed back to February, prompting the
   U.S. to recall its ambassador and heightening fears that the country
   may return to civil war.

   South Sudan's five-year conflict left hundreds of thousands of people
   dead and forced millions to flee to other countries or U.N.-run
   protection sites within the nation. A power struggle between the two
   men led to the conflict.

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