JUBA: South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has named his arch-rival Riek Machar as vice president, raising hopes for the implementation of a repeatedly broken peace deal to end more than two years of civil war.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed and over two million forced from their homes since war between the rivals broke out in December 2013, pushing the world’s youngest nation to the brink of famine. “I, Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, do hereby issue this Republican Decree for the appointment of Dr. Riek Machar Teny as the first vice President of the Republic of South Sudan,” said the decree issued late on Thursday.

While the appointment was agreed as part of an August 2015 peace deal, its announcement now adds pressure on Machar to return to South Sudan from exile.

But fighting continues, and the conflict now involves multiple militia forces driven by local agendas or revenge, who pay little heed to paper peace deals.

Machar, who was vice president from 2005 until he was sacked in 2013, and who has yet to return to Juba since fleeing when war broke out, welcomed the decree.

“It is welcome news because it is a step forward in the implementation of the peace agreement,” Machar told AFP from Ethiopia.

“It means we are implementing the peace agreement as stipulated.”

Some 2.8 million people, or a quarter of the country, needs aid, while in war-torn northern areas 40,00 are being starved to death, with violence blocking desperately needed aid. It was not immediately clear when Machar would travel to Juba to take up his post, and what it would take for him to feel secure enough to return.