South Sudan Peace Talks Face Controversy Over 2018 Agreement Replacement

South Sudan's vice president, Riek Machar, expressed concerns over new peace talks in Kenya, claiming they aim to replace the 2018 peace agreement. Machar signed the original deal with President Kiir ending a five-year civil war. The current talks aim to include opposition groups excluded in 2018 but remain contentious.

South Sudan's political landscape faces new turbulence as Vice President Riek Machar denounces recent peace talks in Kenya, alleging efforts to replace the pivotal 2018 peace agreement.

Machar, in a letter to the mediator, argued that the draft from the ongoing talks proposes alternative institutions that could replace those established by the original peace deal. He emphasized that the existing peace process, which concluded a horrendous five-year civil conflict, should be enhanced, not overhauled.

His protest highlights tension as President Salva Kiir, with whom Machar signed the 2018 deal, reviews progress reports indicating near-finalization of a new agreement. Meanwhile, rebel and ethnic violence plagues South Sudan, with crucial December elections approaching.

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