October 27, 2014-The Sudan Tribune reports that South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has unconditionally agreed to adopting a federalist system in the country, including all reforms. According to the Tribune, the president has also agreed to share power with Riek Machar’s opposition group in line with the protocol set by IGAD.

The Tribune cites a source saying, “The breakthrough which the IGAD chief mediator announced on Wednesday after the close of the mini summit is the acceptance of Riek Machar to recognize president Salva Kiir as the democratically elected and the constitutionally mandated president of the Republic of South Sudan and that he would not continue to advocate for his removal by force.”

“In this context,” the source added, “the president accepted without condition to share power with [the] rebels. He will accept whoever they will nominate to the post of prime minister.”

According to the source, President Kiir never opposed federalism but believed that this issue be decided by the people of South Sudan. “But because he has been misunderstood, including our friends and political allies from the region, he accepted to remove any obstacles to the peace process, including the issue of federalism.

Riek Machar will most likely be put forward as prime minister.

An IGAD summit will convene next week in Ethiopia.