South Sudan rebel leader to attend regional peace conference in Juba – Official

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South Sudan rebel leader Riek Machar is scheduled to attend the regional heads of state summit in the South Sudanese capital Juba next week.The South Sudan presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny told reporters on Thursday in Juba that the First Vice President-designate will visit Juba on 19 November to attend a regional heads of state summit.

“He (Machar) will be coming from Ethiopia together with the Ethiopian Prime Minister to attend the summit which will be held here in Juba. He will not be coming to stay. He is just coming for one day and will go back,” the spokesman said.

”The purpose of the summit is to build confidence between the two rival leaders to expedite the process of implementing the peace agreement” Mr. Ateny pointed out.In the meantime, disputes have appeared between the government and the rebels about the date of the visit of the rebel advance team to Juba.

Information and Broadcasting minister, Michael Makuei confirmed at the news briefing that the government has requested the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to inform the opposition leadership to delay the coming of its advance team to the national capital Juba until the necessary preparations to receive them are completed prior to their arrival.

Both sides announced last week that the advance team of the armed opposition leader would come to Juba in the middle of this month as part of the implementation of the peace agreement.

The spokesperson of the SPLM opposition faction James Gatdet Dak said in a statement on Thursday that they were disappointed by the announcement, stressing that their team was ready to travel to Juba by mid-November.

“SPLM/SPLA (IO) advance team had been ready to travel to Juba by mid-November. However, this will not be possible as planned if the government is not ready to receive the team” the rebel spokesman said.