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South Sudan: Kiir signs peace agreement with former deputy Machar

SOUTH SUDAN President Salva Kiir bowed to pressure from the US and Nigeria yesterday to sign a peace deal with rebels to end a two-year civil war.

The stetson-sporting leader of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) had previously refused to sign the accord with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO) led by his former deputy Riek Machar.

The deal calls for an interim power-sharing government with the post of first vice-president reserved for the SPLM-IO and elections in two and a half years.

Washington supported South Sudan’s independence by increasing sanctions on Sudan in 2010.

Polling in the 2011 referendum was held in the US, Britain and other countries with diasporas from then-southern Sudan.

Mr Kiir’s trademark cowboy hat was a gift from former US president George W Bush.

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