Western Equatoria State Governor Joseph Bangasi Bakosoro arrived in Juba today in the company of Vice President James Wani Igga. They were received by the Defense Minister Kuol Manyang and other officials, and are expected to meet the Central Equatoria governor.

The stated purpose of the visit is consultations on how to push forward the national Elders’ Dialogue which was launched a month ago largely at the initiative of Bakosoro.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Bakosoro said that he will be in Juba for some days while also expecting his counterpart from Eastern Equatoria Louis Lobong Lojore in order to meet together with the governor of Central Equatoria Clement Wani Konga over the issue.   

“After the conference with the elders from Bahr el Ghazal, we are now planning to engage elders from Upper Nile – the Nuer Community – so that we can see how we can go about it together with Governor Konga and Louis so that we see what is the way forward,” Bakosoro said.

Governor Bakosoro has also accompanied Vice President James Wani Igga to Juba from Yambio after a three-day conference in Western Equatoria State on ‘getting views’ ahead of a national reconciliation conference that is expected to kick off in the coming days in Juba.  

The governor said it was important to bring peace at lower levels, not only the high-level peace talks ongoing in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

Photo: James Wani Igga (center), Joseph Bakosoro (in rear, second from right), and Kuol Manyang (far right)