Secretary-General Welcomes Return, Swearing-In of South Sudan First Vice-President

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the return of Riek Machar to Juba and his swearing in as the First Vice-President, which marks a new phase in the implementation of the peace agreement.  The Secretary-General calls for the immediate formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity.  He commends the efforts of the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission Chairperson, former President Festus Mogae, and the African Union High Representative, former President Alpha Oumar Konaré.  The Secretary-General also calls on the Security Council to work closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union Peace and Security Council to mobilize all the required support for the peace process.