![South Sudan presidential envoy and deputy chief mediator for the government, Barnaba Marial Benjamin (center), flanked by FVP's press secretary James Gatdet Dak (right) and SSOA representative Joseph Bakasoro (left), talks to the media following a meeting with President Salva Kiir Mayardit in Juba, ahead of their departure to Rome. [Photo by Sudans Post]](https://i0.wp.com/www.sudanspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/James-Gatdet-finanl.png?resize=890%2C480&quality=80&ssl=1)
Yesterday, the government delegation led by presidential affairs minister Nhial Deng Nhial left the country for Rome to engage leaders of South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance, a holdout opposition consortium comprising non-signatories to the revitalized peace agreement, on how to end the war.
Speaking to Sudans Post this evening, Dut Majokdit, a member of the SPLM-IO peace officials in Juba said two SPLM-IO officials, including Gatdet, have traveled along with the government delegation to Rome to attend, as observers, the peace talks.
“Well the delegation of the government of the Republic of South Sudan to the peace talks in Italy has left and is in Rome as we speak,” Majokdit confirmed.
“Our movement, the SPLM-IO under the leadership of H.E the First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar Teny, which is an observer to the talks, is being represented by James Gatdet Dak Lampuar, the Press Secretary in the Office of the First Vice President, and Major General Martin Abucha, the Executive Director in the Office of the First Vice President,” he added.
He further said “the First Vice President hopes that the government and the opposition groups reach consensus to end the war.”
