JUBA
The press team of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Thursday left for Uganda to sensitize the media there on the political crisis that has engulfed South Sudan in the last seven weeks, vowing to soon visit other East African countries.
"We are beginning with Uganda," presidential press secretary Ateny Wek Ateny, the team leader, told reporters in Juba before setting off.
"We shall be there for two days and meet with the editors of the media houses to inform them of the crisis," he added.
The agenda of the sensitization, according to Ateny, is to "give a clear picture of the situation" to the media in the way they report issues concerning the country.
He said the team, which also includes selected journalists from South Sudan media houses, will later visit other countries in the east African region.
"We will also organize later and visit other countries," Ateny asserted.
The team will visit media houses in East Africa to get acquainted with the way they have been reporting on South Sudan crisis.
"We want to inform the media on the truth about this conflict so that they tell people exactly what is happening here," Ateny said.
South Sudan has been shaken by violence since mid-December, when President Salva Kiir accused Machar of standing behind a failed coup attempt against his regime.
Machar has always denied any coup attempt but has since been heading a rebellion against Kiir.
The violence has already claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people.
The UN estimates that more than 820,000 people had been displaced by the conflict.
Following weeks of talks, the warring rivals signed an agreement on January 23 to end nearly six weeks of fighting.
A second round of talks will be held in the Ethiopian capital next week.
By Okech Francis
englishnews@aa.com.tr
