South Sudan’s parties agree on four vice presidents

South Sudan’s main opposition leader Riek Machar will return to his position as the country’s first vice president, the Sudan news agency SUNA reported.

“It has been agreed that there will be four vice presidents: the current two vice presidents, plus Riek Machar who will assume the position of first vice president, and then the fourth position will be allocated to a woman from the opposition,” Al-Dideiri Ahmed,  Sudan’s foreign minister, was quoted as saying by the state-owned news agency.

The power-sharing deal was reached on Saturday during a meeting in Uganda.

The Sudanese official revealed that it was agreed to add 15 ministers to the current cabinet in Juba which is composed of 30 ministers. The SPLM-IO led by Riek Machar will be given 10 ministerial portfolios while the other opposition groups will be allocated the other five positions.

The South Sudanese parties, according to the Sudanese minister, also agreed to add 150 members to the current parliament to represent the opposition groups.

Al-Dideiri pointed out that it was also agreed that the number of states will be determined by the Independent Boundary Commission (IBC) which will review the establishment of new states and their boundaries.

He noted that Khartoum negotiations will continue until July 10 to resolve all the key pending issues on and power sharing.

Al-Dirdeiry said the new peace plan was accepted by the current government and that Machar’s group had accepted the deal “in principle” but would consider it and come up with the final decision following further negotiations in Khartoum today.

On Friday, the rival sides in South Sudan signed a ceasefire on security arrangements in Khartoum.