S Sudan Parties Agree To Form Unity Government By Deadline: President

Addis Ababa, December 17,2019 (FBC) -South Sudan’s rival leaders agreed on Tuesday to form a unity government by the end of the existing deadline, President Salva Kiir said.

The announcement comes barely a day after the United States said that it was imposing sanctions on two South Sudanese government officials whom it accuses of obstructing reconciliation efforts.

The two officials are Minister of Cabinet Affairs Martin Elia Lomuro and Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs Kuol Manyang Juuk.

According to the US Treasury, the sanctions freeze any American assets held by the officials and bars Americans from transacting business with them.

President Kiir and former rebel leader Riek Machar had signed a peace agreement in September last year through which they were supposed to create a unity government by November 12 this year.

However, the two leaders consented to give themselves an extension of 100 days just before the deadline expired in order to resolve outstanding differences.

South Sudan plunged into civil war in December 2013 barely two years after gaining independence from Sudan.

A peace deal signed by the warring factions in 2015 fell apart after fresh violence broke out in July 2016.

The violence has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions of others.

Source: CGTN