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S. Sudanese president pledges commitment to peace agreement

Xinhua, October 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

Visiting South Sudanese President Salva Kirr on Saturday pledged his commitment to implementing a peace agreement with anti-government forces.

After meeting with South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, Kirr acknowledged that there were challenges in implementing the agreement, but said he would overcome such challenges.

Kirr, who is on a working visit to South Africa, met with Zuma for talks aimed at further deepening political as well as socio-economic relations and also in support of the process of normalizing the political situation in South Sudan.

South Sudan's most recent peace deal is facing a new challenge that threatens its collapse after Kirr issued a decree weeks ago to unilaterally create 28 new states instead of 10, a move seen by the opposition as a violation of the deal signed last August.

Under the decree, the oil-rich areas have become affiliated to the states inhabited by communities belonging to the Dinka tribe of Kiir, such as northern upper Fuluj and Ruweng; most of these states were under the influence of the opposition.

The government said the decision was made to create a federal system to run the country, in response to "popular demands".

But the opposition said the decision was a clear message to the world that Kiir is not committed to the peace agreement and can violate it at any time.

The re-division of South Sudan on the basis of a federal system has been one of the major demands of the armed opposition, but opposition leader Riek Machar criticized Kiir for unilaterally taking the decision on the matter. Endit