South Sudan’s rivals form unity government in hope of ending civil war

The conflict has raged in the world’s youngest nation since 2013, leaving at least 400,000 people dead

Riek Machar is sworn is as First Vice President of South Sudan, in Juba. AFP

The president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit and Riek Machar greet each other after swearing in ceremony in Juba, South Sudan. AP

Dr. Riek Machar after swearing in ceremony in Juba, South Sudan. AP

South Sudanes President Salva Kiir shakes hands with First Vice President Dr Riek Machar as Third Vice President Taban Deng Gai, Second Vice President James Wani Igga and Fourth Vice President Rebecca Garang attend their swearing-in ceremony at the State House in Juba. AFP

President Salva Kiir attends the swearing in ceremony of his First Vice President and other Vice Presidents in Juba, South Sudan. AFP

South Sudan's Second Vice President James Wani Igga attends his oath taking ceremony at the State House in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters

South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar and Second Vice President James Wani Igga, attend their swearing-in ceremony at the State House in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters

South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar stands with his wife Angelina Teny as he takes the oath of office in front of Chief of Justice Chan Reech Madut, at the State House in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters

Riek Machar (C) attends his swearing in ceremony as First Vice President in Juba, South Sudan. AFP

South Sudanese President Salva Kiir attends the swearing in ceremony of his First Vice President and other Vice Presidents in the capital Juba. AFP

The president of South Sudan, Salva Kiir Mayardit swears in Dr Riek Machar as the first Vice President of South Sudan, in Juba, South Sudan. AP

South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar, Second Vice President James Wani Igga, Third Vice President Taban Deng Gai and Fourth Vice President Rebecca Garang attend their swearing-in ceremony at the State House in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters

South Sudan's First Vice President Riek Machar attends his swearing-in ceremony at the State House in Juba, South Sudan. Reuters

South Sudan, the world’s newest country and possibly one of its most unfortunate, may have finally ended its latest chapter of strife after its rival leaders announced the formation of a coalition unity government that many hope will survive the distrust and ethnic enmity that defined life in the country for decades.

At a ceremony long on wishful rhetoric and lofty promises, President Salva Kiir declared “the official end of the war". He said "we can now proclaim a new dawn” after a conflict in which about 400,000 people died and more than two million were displaced since 2013.

Peace, he said, was "never to be shaken ever again". He said he forgave opposition leader Riek Machar and asked for his rival’s forgiveness. The latest agreement came after a series of failed attempts at peace, including in 2016 when Mr Machar returned as vice president only to flee again in the face of renewed hostilities.

However, mounting international pressure, including from the US, followed the most recent peace deal in 2018, with Pope Francis kissing the feet of the two rivals last year in a dramatic gesture to persuade them to put their differences aside.

Saturday's ceremony started with a photo of that gesture presented to them as a reminder of what’s at stake. Both leaders made key concessions before an agreement was reached on a coalition government.

“While much work remains to be done, this is an important milestone in the path to peace,” the US embassy in Juba, South Sudan’s capital, said in a message of congratulations. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called it a “significant achievement”.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011, breaking up what was Africa’s largest country. Its independence after decades of civil war carried so much promise, but that was soon shattered.

The country slid into civil war in 2013 as supporters of Mr Kiir and Mr Machar clashed.

The region of South Sudan has seen little other than civil war since Sudan gained independence in 1956. The mainly animist and Christian south first took up arms against the Arabised and Muslim north in 1955 in a bout of civil strife that lasted until 1972.

The region did not have much respite, plunging into civil war against the north again in 1983. That conflict lasted about two decades before Khartoum agreed to grant the region the right to self-determination.

Throughout these conflicts, hundreds of thousands were killed, including many who starved to death or succumbed to disease, and many more have been displaced.

The latest war, however, is essentially tribal, pitting two of Africa’s largest Nilotic tribes - President Kiir’s Dinka and Mr Machar’s Nuer - against each other in a struggle for domination of the oil-rich region bordering Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Republic of Central Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo.