Glimmer of hope for S Sudan peace
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has named his arch-rival Riek Machar as vice-president, raising hopes for the implementation of a repeatedly broken peace deal to end more than two years of civil war.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million forced from their homes since war between the rivals broke out in December 2013, pushing the world's youngest nation to the brink of famine.
"I, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, do hereby issue this Republican Decree for the appointment of Dr. Riek Machar Teny as the first vice President of the Republic of South Sudan," said the decree issued late on Thursday.
While the appointment was agreed as part of an August 2015 peace deal, its announcement now adds pressure on Machar to return to South Sudan from exile.
Machar, who was vice-president from 2005 until he was sacked in 2013 welcomed the decree. It was not immediately clear when Machar would travel to Juba to take up his post.
Analysts warned that while Kiir's decree may help end the war between the two, levels of intense violence and conflict will likely continue at a local level.
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