South Sudan President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar (photo) met for peace talks in Uganda on Saturday in an attempt to end a civil war that has gone on for more than four years.
The discussions, mediated by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, ended with conflicting accounts over whether both sides had reached a power-sharing agreement.
Kiir's press secretary, Linda Nabusayi, said the meeting had ended without reaching a conclusive agreement. But Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohamed Ahmed told reporters that Kiir had agreed in full and Machar had agreed "in principle" to a power-sharing agreement that would return Machar to the role of vice president.
"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," he said, according to Agence France-Presse.
Read more: South Sudan: Will the new peace deal last?
Rebel leader Riek Machar allegedly agreed to take on the vice presidency
Ending years of civil war
Both Nabusayi and Ahmed said detailed talks would continue at planned summits in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and Kenya.
The latest round of negotiations came after Kiir and Machar agreed to a delicate ceasefire on June 27 and a separate deal on Friday to remove their troops from cities. The ceasefire was violated within hours of its signing.
The civil war began two years after South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, after Kiir accused Machar of plotting to oust him from office.
They signed a peace deal in 2015 that included a power-sharing agreement, but the accord quickly fell apart amid continued fighting between government and rebel forces.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
Displaced persons, missing parents
More than 30,000 people live in the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Juba, capital of South Sudan. Around 7,000 are children who have lost contact with their parents. The NGO Nonviolent Peaceforce is trying to reunite them.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
Family tracing and reunification
The first step is to establish a child's identity and then to collect as much information as possible which could assist in locating the parents. This data is placed online and can be accessed by all international organizations working in child protection in South Sudan. If the search for the family proves fruitless, or if the child has been orphaned, foster parents are found.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
All-female peacekeepers
In South Sudan, Nonviolent Peaceforce focuses on the protection of women and children, who rarely participate in armed conflict, but are disproportionately affected by it. To this end, Nonviolent Peaceforce is forming all-female Women's Peacekeeping Teams, specially trained in tackling sexual and gender-based violence.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
Women's Peacekeeping Teams
As well as training, the Women's Peacekeeping Teams are also given follow-up support as they seek to prevent sexual and gender-based violence. The teams liaise with women in the communities, helping them to identify risks and counter them. The teams are also in contact with authorities so that culprits can be held accountable for their actions.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
Ulang in Upper Nile State
The civil war began as a political dispute, but it has reopened ethnic fault lines between the Dinka people of President Salva Kiir and the Nuer of rebel leader Riek Machar . Ulang in Upper Nile State is dominated by the Nuer. It was attacked by government in troops in May 2015 and dozens were killed. The once tranquil region found itself caught up in conflict.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
Child protection projects in Ulang
Nonviolent Peaceforce runs a child protection project in Ulang, one of six in South Sudan. These projects vary in accordance with local needs. In Ulang, community volunteers ensure that the children have access to recreation and sports.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
Soccer on a former battleground
At Ulang's Kopuot Primary School, children are playing a game of soccer as part of a child protection project. The building in the background is pockmarked with bullet holes, an ever-present reminder that the school was a target for government troops during their May offensive.
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South Sudan: children of the war zone
Back to school
All teaching materials and other supplies at the school were destroyed in the government offensive. But now, in makeshift classrooms, the struggle to acquire an education goes on. Author: Fellipe Abtreu
Author:
amp/cmk (dpa, AFP)
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