South Sudan opposition leader Riek Machar left Sudan this morning for a visit to the Vatican on an invitation by the Holy See.
President Salva Kiir, his first vice president Taban Deng, opposition leader Riek Machar and other leaders were invited by the Vatican to take part in an ecumenical retreat.
This is the first time the opposition leader would meet the Pope.
“Dr Machar and his delegation left for the Vatican to attend the spiritual retreat,” Puok Both Baluang, the SPLM-IO's director for information told Radio Tamazuj this morning.
Puok said the opposition group’s deputy chairperson Henry Odwar accompanied Machar.
He further said South Sudan opposition leader Riek Machar was given permission by the East African regional bloc to attend the peace retreat at the Vatican.
The retreat, also to be attended by President Kiir, is meant to push forward the peace process in South Sudan. It comes a month after Kiir met with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Under pressure from members of the international community, Machar’s group, other opposition factions and the government in Juba signed the peace deal under which he will again become first vice president.
The deal calls for a functional unity government by May.