Full Text: Machar’s remarks during the swearing in Ceremony of the Presidency

February 22, 2020 Newsbeat, Politics, South Sudan, Speeches

Opposition leader and the First Vice-president Dr. Riek Machar’s Repremarks during the swearing in Ceremony of the First Vice President and the Vice Presidents.

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit and his Deputies pose for a group picture (Photo: File)

Machar’s speech on February 22, 2020 during the swearing-in ceremony of the Presidency

H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan;
H.E. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, President of the Sudan Transitional Sovereign
Council and Chairperson of ‘IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government;
H.E. Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda;
H,E, David Mabuza, Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa;
H.E. Dr. Wani Igar Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan;
H.E. Taban Deng Gai, Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan;
H.E. Rebecca Nyadeng Garang, Vice President of the Republic of South Sudan;
H.E. Dr, Stephen Kalonzø Musyoka, Kenya Special Envoy to South Sudan;
N.E. Dr, Ismail Wais, IGAD Special Envoy to South Sudan;
Representatives of Troika;
Representatives of EU
Representatives Of IPF;
N.E. David Shearer, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General;
Your Excellencies, The Ambassadors;
Leaders of the political Parties;
Distinguished Guests;

Ladies and Gentlemen:

1.First, I take this opportunity to congratulate the people of the Republic Of South Sudan for attaining peace. I want to assure you we will work collectively to end your long Suffering.

2.Allow me to express my deep appreciation and gratitude to IGAD for tirelessly working to revitalize the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS) to bring to an end the tragic civil war, and I especially recognize the efforts of Sudan and Uganda.

3.We also recognize the role played by AU, AUPSC, the C5, UN, Troika, EU, IGAD Partners, Japan, China and the International Community.

4.Our special thanks to President Kiir for steering the country to peace particularly his courageous decision to revert the country to ten states.

5.We also thank the negotiating teams of the parties of the former incumbent TGONU, SPLM/SPLA(IO), SSOA, OPP and the Civil society that spent sleepless nights to bring the peace agreement to light.

6.We also thank the IGAD Special Envoy Dr. Ismael Wais and his team for good work well done.

7.We also thank the implementation mechanism teams who worked tirelessly in the implementation process of the pre-transitional period. We recognize the great role played by the monitoring and verification mechanisms namely R-JMEC and CTSAMMVM.

8.Allow me to thank in names the Prime Minister of Ethiopia — H.E. Dr. Ahmed Abiy for calling me back from South Africa to participate in the peace process.

9.I also take this opportunity to thank the UN, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan and South Africa for keeping me safe during my time of difficulty.

10.I wish to thank His Holiness Pope Francis, His Grace Archbishop Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and The Most Reverend John Chalmers, the former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church Of Scotland, African Church leaders and the South Sudan Church leaders for their prayers to the people of South Sudan and for their spiritual guidance of the leaders of South Sudan, We Were greatly humbled and challenged by the Pope for kissing our feet of which one is not worthy of.

11.My greatest appreciation goes to the forces of the parties for respecting the cessation of hostilities agreement and for maintaining the permanent ceasefire for the last eighteen months, You have lived up to the desire and expectation of the people of South Sudan, Africa and the worldwide at large for silencing the guns.

12.It is our hope that the formation of the R-TGNU will create a new momentum and a new spirit of commitment and cooperation in the implementation process of the agreement in order to avoid the kinds of delays experienced during the pre-transitional period.

13.I have been informed this morning that the dollar has dropped from 33 pounds to 23 pounds today. This is a peace dividend, a sign that peace brings confidence in the economy and encourages investors back to country.

14.Finally, I believe, Your Excellencies, have received the SPLM/SPLA(IO) proposal for an addendum to the agreement on the remaining pretransitional tasks, this is to ensure sustainability of the implementation of the Agreement.

15.ln conclusion, once again, I would like to reiterate my commitment and the commitment of SPLM/SPL.A(IO) to work closely with peace partners and particularly President Kiir Mayardit to implement the agreement in letter and spirit,

May God bless South Sudan.

Viva South Sudan Viva.
Victory South Sudan Victory
Riek Machar Teny-Dhurgon, PhD
Chairman and Commander-in-Chief’ SPLM/SPLA(IO) and The First Vice President Designate of the Republic of South Sudan, 22 February 2020.