UN Secretary General visits South Sudan, DRC next week

February 20, 2016 (JUBA) – The United Nations secretary general, Ban ki moon will visit South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) next week, Stephen Dujarric, a spokesperson for the world body, has disclosed.

Over the weekend, the Secretary-General will leave New York for a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan,” he announced on Friday.

Ki moon, the UN said in a statement, is expected in Goma on 23 February to visit people impacted by the insecurity and humanitarian crisis in the region, including those living internally displaced people’s camps.

The UN chief will reportedly be in the DRC capital, Kinshasa for the opening session of the Great Lakes Private Sector Investment Conference and will meet the DRC leader, Joseph Kabila, state officials and activists.

Meanwhile, the secretary general will be in South Sudan on 25 February, where he is expected to meet President Salva Kiir and visit a Protection of Civilians’ site that is run by the UN Mission in that country (UNMISS).

This will be the second time the UN secretary general will be visiting South Sudan ever since the world’s youngest nation obtained its independence from neighbouring Sudan in July 2011.

(ST)