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Spotlight: Machar calls for unity in nation rebuilding

Xinhua, May 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Sudan's First Vice-President Riek Machar on Thursday called for unity among the newly appointed ministers to help the new unity government tackle outstanding issues and rebuild the young nation.

Speaking during an induction workshop held in Juba, Machar reminded the new cabinet to amicably work together in order to confront challenges facing implementation of peace deal which was signed in August 2015.

"There are serious issues in the agreement that Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission or Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangement Monitoring Mechanism may not resolve, it will be the cabinet to resolve them," Machar said.

The former rebel leader said despite the signed peace agreement and formation of the new government, there are still some Prisoners of War (POW) or detainees which urgently need to be address by the Cabinet.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir officially formed the transitional government of national unity on April 28 after he announced a new Cabinet, which saw former rebels and post-2013 war detainees take up key positions.

The new government is part of the deal signed in August last year in a bid to bring peace back to the continent's new nation after fighting broke out between supporters of President Kiir and Machar in the capital in December 2013, soon after the latter was sacked as first vice president.

The new unity government is tasked with the challenges of resettlement of internally displaced persons and refugees, issue of 28 states and fixing the economy as well as stabilizing the country which relies on food imports from neighboring countries.

"I will cooperate with President, second vice-president and the whole council of ministers in order to move forward," Machar said.

Second Vice President James Wani Igga commended President Kiir and Machar for their tremendous efforts that led to the formation of unity government, and urged the cabinet to rebuild trust and confidence to restore hope in the country.

"The top priority is rebuilding trust within ourselves and for peace to succeed it must begin with us in this house," Wani reiterated.

Civil war erupted in December 2013 when President Kiir accused his former deputy Machar of planning a coup, setting off a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the country along ethnic lines.

Peace talks between Kiir and Machar stalled several times but the two leaders eventually signed peace agreement in August last year, paving way for the formation of government of national unity. Endit