South Sudan Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth confirmed the SPLM-IO advance team should arrive in Juba today at 10 a.m. local time.

The arrival of the opposition delegation has been postponed several times, with both sides trading recriminations. At least 150 SPLM-IO delegates are scheduled to be part of the first group, Makuei said.

Makuei told Radio Tamazuj that the delegates from both sides would begin a series of meetings led by Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission Chairperson Festus Gontebanye Mogae, the former president of Botswana.

“We will immediately start the peace implementation process with them,” Makuei said.

SPLM-IO spokesperson Peter Manawa Gatkuoth said the delegates were able to travel to Juba this morning following moves by President Salva Kiir to lift a cap on the number of delegates who could attend.

Previously, the SPLM-IO had said more than 600 people would be part of the initial group of delegates. The government objected to the number, but relaxed its stand following a meeting last week.

“We in SPLM welcomed the directives of President Salva Kiir Mayardit of welcoming our delegates,” he said. “The decision came at the right time.”

The SPLM-IO delegates will travel from Pagak to Gambella, in Ethiopia, he said, and from there fly directly to Juba. They are being led by General Taban Deng.