President Kiir, Machar meeting underway in Juba: official

March 9, 2023 (JUBA) – The anticipated meeting between South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar is underway, an official said Friday.

The meeting comes barely a week after the South Sudanese leader unilaterally sacked the Defense and Veterans Affairs minister, Angelina Teny and swapped the ministry from the armed opposition faction (SPLM-IO) to the ruling party (SPLM).

“We hope that the meeting will observe the spirit and letter of the revitalised peace agreement,” noted a statement from the acting Press Secretary in the office of the First Vice President, Goanar Gordon Yien.

The meeting, initially planned for Thursday, had to be rescheduled for Friday.

The body monitoring the peace process (RJMEC) on Wednesday urged Kiir and the country’s First Vice President to focus on timely implementation of the peace accord.

More details to follow…………………..

(ST)