South Sudan’s Kiir signs ‘compromise peace agreement’

– South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has signed the IGAD-PLUs’s compromise peace agreement nine days after he refused to sign the document in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

Kiir signed the IGAD-Plus’s final peace document in Juba in presence of IGAD member states including representatives of countries parties to the mediating bloc.

Rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar and Former political detainee Pagan Amum signed the power-sharing deal on August 17 — a dateline initially set by the IGAD-Plus.

At the signing venue, Kiir told the gathering that he still has some doubts over the pact, raising questions whether or not he will implement the deal.

Pressure has been mounting against South Sudan’s leader after he asked to be given 15 days to make necessary consultations with his political base. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) threatens to impose sanctions against the young nation if Kiir fails to sign the deal by the September 1 extended dateline.

Kiir, who is at odd with some of his most powerful allies over the internationally-backed pact, finds himself in an increasingly uncomfortable situation.

The furious SPLA Chief of General Staff Paul Malong Awan told Kiir in one of security meetings held in Juba last week to simply surrender to Riek Machar if he wants to sign what he described as “anti-government deal.”

The IGAD-Plus says the agreement must be implemented, warning that any party refusing to implement the deal will be punished.