United Nations – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Tuesday welcomed the return of Riek Machar to Juba and his swearing in as the First Vice President which marks a new phase in the implementation of the peace agreement in that country.
In a statement in New York, the UN chief called for the immediate formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity.
He commended the efforts of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC) Chairperson, former President Festus Mogae and the AU High Representative, former President Alpha Konaré.
The secretary-general also called on the UN Security Council to work closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) to mobilise all the required support for the peace process.
In an important step toward the establishment of the transitional Government, President Salva Kiir, on Feb. 11, appointed Machar, as First Vice-President of South Sudan and appointed the incumbent Vice-President, James Wani Igga as Vice-President of the Transitional Government.
Machar, who welcomed the appointment, however, failed to return to Juba on April 19 to form the unity government, after two years of violence in the world’s youngest country.
Consequently, however, he finally returned on Monday..(NAN)