South Sudan rebel chief Riek Machar sworn in as vice-president

Source: BBC

South Sudan's rebel leader Riek Machar has been sworn in as vice-president in a boost for a peace deal aimed at ending more than two years of conflict.

He returned earlier to the capital, Juba, to take the post in a new unity government led by President Salva Kiir.
Tens of thousands have been killed and about two million people left homeless in the conflict in South Sudan, which became independent in 2011.
Mr Machar fled Juba at the start of the civil war in December 2013.

He had been accused of trying to organise a coup, which he denied - but it set off a round of tit-for-tat killings, which developed into a full-blown conflict.

Both men, whose personal falling out has resulted in more than two years of bitter conflict in the world's youngest nation, spoke optimistically about the future, addressing the media at the swearing-in ceremony.

There were shouts of joy at the airport as his supporters greeted Riek Machar, back in the capital for the first time in more than two years. The atmosphere during the ceremony to swear him in as first vice-president was noticeably more tense.
President Salva Kiir and his new deputy described each other as brothers, but there were not many smiles. Both talked of the need for reconciliation, to rebuild a devastated nation. A government of national unity should be formed in the next few days.
If this is done, in theory donors will start stumping up money - crucial as the economy is at rock bottom.
Among its first challenges will be to overcome the mistrust between the two sides. The fact that there are other rebel groups which have not signed the peace deal could also prove significant.