South Sudan moves towards peace as opposition leader Riek Machar sworn in as VP

South Sudan’s opposition leader Riek Machar was sworn in as first vice president on Tuesday, hours after he returned to the capital of Juba for the first time since conflict erupted more than 2 years ago.

Machar took up the post under the terms of a peace agreement reached 8 months ago, implementation of which had been repeatedly delayed by disputes between Machar and the government of President Salva Kiir.

“Now that Dr. Machar has taken the oath of the first vice president, we will immediately proceed with the establishment of the transitional government of national unity,” Kiir said after Machar was sworn in at the president’s office. “I ask you to join me and my brother Riek Machar in peace and reconciliation.”

Machar was greeted by government officials, members of his SPLM-In-Opposition party, diplomats and officials from the African Union peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

His return is a crucial part of the peace agreement that will hopefully end the conflict in the world’s newest country.

The conflict in South Sudan split the 5-year-old country along ethnic and party lines. It also disrupted the South Sudanese economy. Oil output, on which the government depends, has plummeted and, and agriculture too was negatively impacted.