Pope Francis reactivates plans for South Sudan trip

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit (L) kisses the hands of Pope Francis upon his arrival for a private audience at the Vatican on March 16, 2019. [AFP]

Pope Francis has asked aides to resume plans for a visit to South Sudan, a trip that had to be scrapped in 2017 because of the civil war in the world’s youngest country.

During a meeting with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Saturday, Francis “expressed the wish to ascertain the conditions for a possible visit to South Sudan,” a Vatican statement said.