South Sudan’s First Vice President Taban Deng Gai arrived in Rome this afternoon ahead of a spiritual retreat in the Vatican.
The planned retreat is an effort to help implement the country’s revitalized peace accord.
Ajing Adiang Marik, South Sudan’s ambassador to Italy, told Radio Tamazuj that the country’s first vice president has arrived in the Italian capital, Rome. “The first vice president has just arrived in Rome and is here with me,” he said.
He said the spiritual retreat is scheduled to take place on 10 April at the Vatican for the leaders of South Sudan, but he did not identify most of them.
He said President Salva Kiir and several opposition leaders are expected to travel to the Vatican on Tuesday for the spiritual retreat.
“The retreat does have not any political agenda; it is actually a religious event. The president will return to Juba on 12 April,” he said.
The South Sudanese diplomat further said opposition leader Riek Machar is also expected to travel to the Vatican for the retreat.
“I was told that he has been invited. The invitation has been extended to him, but I don’t have any idea when he is coming,” said Ajing.
“Madam Rebecca would be coming on Tuesday,” he added.
In September 2018, President Salva Kiir and several opposition groups signed a peace deal to end South Sudan's five-year civil war.
The deal calls for a functional unity government by May.