Pope Francis held a private meeting with South Sudan's President Salva
Kiir on Friday, pushing for peace in the world's newest nation that has
endured nearly two years of civil war
South Sudan, which gained its independence from Sudan in 2011, descended
into civil war in December 2013 when a row between Kiir and his sacked
deputy Riek Machar descended into fighting that often ran along ethnic
fault lines between Kiir's Dinka and Machar's Nuer people.
There were no details on the 15-minute conversation with the president, a Catholic who regularly attends the cathedral in his capital Juba and on occasions addresses the congregation
"It was a private meeting," the Vatican's chief spokesman Father Federico said. "The reason for this meeting, the intention of the pope, was obviously in service of the peace and reconciliation in the land."
The meeting at Uganda's State House soon after Francis arrived in the Ugandan capital Kampala on the second leg of his week-long Africa trip was arranged by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni
South Sudan (officially The Republic of South Sudan) officially became
an independent state on July 9, 2011
On July 14, 2011 South Sudan
became a United Nations member state.
South Sudan joined the African Union on
July 28, 2011.
There were no details on the 15-minute conversation with the president, a Catholic who regularly attends the cathedral in his capital Juba and on occasions addresses the congregation
"It was a private meeting," the Vatican's chief spokesman Father Federico said. "The reason for this meeting, the intention of the pope, was obviously in service of the peace and reconciliation in the land."
The meeting at Uganda's State House soon after Francis arrived in the Ugandan capital Kampala on the second leg of his week-long Africa trip was arranged by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni
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