Western Envoys Snub South Sudan Peace Roadmap Meeting

Western diplomats in South Sudan say they will not attend a meeting convened by President Salva Kiir to discuss a roadmap to implement the country's peace agreement. <br />South Sudan's foreign affairs ministry sent invitations to all diplomatic missions, and regional and international non-governmental organisations accredited to South Sudan to attend the Thursday event that will be presided by the president. <br />However, the heads of missions of the US, the UK and Norway - known as the Troika for South Sudan - wrote to President Kiir expressing regret that they would not attend. <br />The diplomats say they had previously written to the president to express their profound concern that the consultations must include civil societies.