South Sudan President Salva Kiir and key South Sudanese opposition leaders have signed an agreement on governance despite their concerns over power sharing and number of states, the Sudan Tribune reported.

Despite strong reservations between the parties on outstanding issues it is believed that threats of sanctions following a meeting with regional leaders pushed those who were reluctant to sign the agreement to cooperate.

The signing ceremony was attended by Presidents Omer Al Bashir of Sudan, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti, Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheire and Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister, Demeke Mekonnen.

Al Bashir and Museveni co-signed the deal as guarantors while representatives of the United Nations and the African Union signed as witnesses.