Juba is preparing to embrace Saturday a landmark achievement in the history of Sudan when the government and rebel forces sign a final peace deal aimed at resolving decades of regional conflicts which left millions displaced and hundreds of thousands dead.
The city turned Friday into a beehive to welcome tens of leaderships and officials invited to witness the historic event.
Juba will host popular concerts and carnivals to celebrate the peace deal.
South Sudanese Chief Mediator in the Sudanese peace talks in Juba Presidential Adviser Tut Gatluak said the final signing of Juba peace agreement between the Sudanese parties would be attended by a number of heads of state and government and representatives of the African Union and the United Nations.
On Friday, a delegation arrived in Juba from Khartoum headed by President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Fattah Al-Burhan, and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdouk.
The ceremony will also be attended by neighboring and sisterly countries that contributed to the peace process in its various stages, including leaders from Kenya, Ethiopia, Chad, and Egypt.
In Riyadh, reports said that Saudi Arabia would attend the signing of the peace deal on Saturday through its Minister of State for African Affairs Ambassador Ahmed Kattan, representing Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Gatluak affirmed in a press conference he held in Juba that all preparations have been completed for celebrating the final signing of the peace agreement between the Sudanese government and the Revolutionary Front next Saturday.
Three major groups signed a preliminary deal in August - two factions from the western region of Darfur and one from the southern region - after months of peace talks hosted by neighboring South Sudan.
The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North led by Abdelaziz al-Hilu, which had not participated in initial peace negotiations, agreed last month to hold new talks hosted by South Sudan.
Gatluak told Reuters ahead of Saturday’s ceremony in Juba that the goal is to sign deals with all armed groups.
Following his arrival in Juba Friday, Hamdouk held a series of meetings with leaders of the armed movements.
He also sat down with President of South Sudan State, Salva Kiir at the Presidential Palace in Juba to discussed progress of the bilateral relations and ways of cementing them for the interest of the two peoples.
The deal sets out terms to integrate rebels into the security forces, be politically represented, and have economic and land rights. A new fund will pay $750 million a year for 10 years to the impoverished southern and western regions and the chance of return for displaced people is also guaranteed.
