Warring factions of South Sudan sign an agreement to reunify SPLM

Jan 23, 2015-Khartoum-SudaneseOnline-Warring factions of South Sudan made a major breakthrough on Wednesday as rival factions of the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) signed an agreement aimed at reunifying the historical party.
The signing ceremony at Ngurdoto Hotel in Arusha was witnessed by an array of regional leaders including the host, President Jakaya Kikwete, President Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), and South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
South Sudan President Salva Kiir, former Vice President Riek Machar and Mr Deng Alor Kuol signed the historic agreement after SPLM Intra-Party Dialogue Summit.
The agreement puts the young African nation back on the path of peace and development
President Jakaya Kikwete has urged leaders of the South Sudan’s rival factions to respect what they have agreed for lasting peace and security in South Sudan.
SPLM leadership is also urged to formulate and implement policies that will abolish tribalism, sectarianism and militarism in political life and open up space for achieving a political environment that promotes genuine political pluralism.
The agreement calls on those who may have participated in atrocities during the conflict not to be allowed to hold public offices in South Sudan.
The SPLM leaders agreed to implement and comply with all provisions of the cessation of hostilities and use the Arusha Intra-Party Dialogue and IGAD mediation process in Addis Ababa to expedite the conclusion of the peace agreement in order to end the war.