First Vice President Taban Deng Gai sent New Year greetings to the people of South Sudan.

In his New Year message, Gai said achieving genuine and lasting peace remains the only option the government has to realize.” Despite the challenging economic hardships, the government in pursuit of this vision has made significant strides in 2017,” he said.

Gai, who is also leading a faction of the SPLM-IO in Juba, hoped that the government will continue to use the revitalization forum, the national dialogue and local peace initiatives to consolidate the progress made for peace in the country.

“The year 2018 provides a unique and rare opportunity for us to work together and strive harder to promote a united, reconciled, conflict free and prosperous society,” he said.

“In the same spirit, I wish also to express my best wishes for a happy, peaceful, fruitful and prosperous New Year 2018,” he added.