Keer takes constitutional oath as Sudan's VP

The Presidential Affairs Ministry in Sudan said that Sylva Keer will take his constitutional oath-of-office tomorrow in the capital Khartoum as a First Vice President of the country and a chairman for the government of southern Sudan in succession of the late John Garang.

This came after the Sudan People's Liberation Movement elected him as leader. The President of the Republic approved his nomination, according to the terms of the peace agreement.

During Garang's funeral on Saturday, Keer vowed in Jouba city in the south of the country, to implement the peace agreement and maintain the march of the people's movement (SPLM) and the objectives pursued by the late leader.

For his part, the Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir expressed his hope to implement fully the peace agreement. He stressed he will collaborate with his deputy new leader for the people's movement to implement the agreement in its full details.

Garang was buried in a huge ceremony attended by leaders from various parts of the African continent including the President of South Africa, Thabu Mabeiki, the secretary general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, as well as American and European officials including UN envoy Yan Brunk, while President of Uganda Yuri Mousivini was absent.