SPLM-IO leader Riek Machar said he would attend the peace day celebrations in Juba as a good gesture for building trust among the parties.

This comes after South Sudan government invited regional leaders and all opposition officials to celebrate the revitalized peace deal in Juba on 30 October.

“We are ready to go to celebrate in Juba,” Machar said after a meeting with the NPTC chairman and Presidential Adviser Tut Gatluak in Khartoum on Tuesday.

The opposition leader praised the progress achieved by the National Pre-transitional Committee (NPTC) saying it was able to create a conducive environment for the implementation of the peace agreement.

Machar urged all parties to give peace a chance.” If we implement this peace, our country will be different,” he said.

The peace accord signed on 12 September will see the creation of a new unity government after eight months, with opposition leader Riek Machar reinstated as first vice president, one of five vice presidents.