This archive report was first published on 13 November 2019.
South Sudan teeters on the brink of collapse, but a recent tripartite deal in Kampala has provided a temporary reprieve. The agreement, brokered by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, has delayed the formation of the government of national unity by 100 days.
President Salva Kiir and Dr Riek Machar, the protagonists of the South Sudan conflict, have been given a second chance to deliver on their promises. The Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, signed in 2015, stipulates that the two leaders must work together to establish a functioning government.
However, the clock is ticking, and the world is watching. The United States has expressed its displeasure at the two leaders' failure to deliver, and is considering other options to put pressure on those impeding the peace deal.
As the 100-day deadline approaches, it remains to be seen whether President Kiir and Dr Machar will be able to put aside their differences and work towards a common goal. If they fail, it may be time for them to step aside and allow another leader to take charge.
