Recently signed peace agreements between the government and rebels are raising hope in South Sudan, according to Catholic bishops in the country.
Bishop Borani Eduardo Hiiboro of Tombura- Yambio praised the accords, after President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed a power-sharing arrangement and governance agreement in Khartoum, the Sudanese capital on 5 August.
The agreement - which sparked celebrations across South Sudan - raised hope for an end to the conflict which ignited in 2013 as a political dispute between the two leaders. It stipulates that Kiir will remain President, while Machar will be reinstated as First Vice-President, one of the five in a transitional government that will run for 8 months. There will also be 35 ministers and 550 members of parliaments.
The war has taken a heavy toll on civilians, forcing an estimated 2.4 million children out of school, displacing 2 million inside the country and has sent over 2.5 million as refugees into the neighbouring countries.
The signing of a comprehensive peace agreement was timetabled for 19 August.
Hiiboro called for compromise and dialogue in the whole peace process while urging all citizens to remain vigilant to ensure the latest agreement succeeds.
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