Central African Republic govt. signs peace deal with armed groups

The government of the Central African Republic and 14 armed groups on Tuesday inked a new peace accord seeking to end years-long fighting that has left thousands of people dead.

The accord was initialed by President Faustin Archange Touadera for the CAR government and representatives of militias which control most of the chronically-troubled country.

It will be formally signed in the CAR capital of Bangui "in the coming days," Touadera's office said, without announcing a date.

"The Khartoum Agreement opens the door for peace to return to our homeland," Touadera declared at the ceremony. "It is now time to open a new page for Central Africa. Let's go together to Bangui to build our country together."

The agreement, brokered by the African Union after 18 months of exploratory work and sponsored by the UN, is the eighth attempt in almost six years to forge peace in a country that is a byword for turmoil and poverty.

Thousands of people have been killed and a quarter of the population of 4.5 million have fled their homes.

The UN says unrest has driven so many people from their farms that hundreds of thousands are at risk of famine.

SS