Archbishop Paulino Lukudu Loro of Juba confirms that a letter was addressed to the Bishops in the country to inform them that Pope Francis is poised to open the Holy See’s first consulate in South Sudan.
Lukudu says the Pope delegated Monsignor Mark Kadimer as the new resident Vatican apostolic ambassador in the Country.
‘For the administrative purpose as structure of the Catholic Church, then the Pope will always come to me through the Nuncio. And it is in this case here the Pope means to be among us, with us in our situation as it is,” he said
Meanwhile, some Juba residents welcome the news of the establishment of the Consulate.
A Program Assistant of Eve Organization, Eva Kiongo things this move taken by the Vatican is positive. She believes it will help the country in acquiring Peace.
‘The Vatican bringing there embassy here will help South Sudanese government to enquire this peace very fast because they are the peace makers. They have done a lot to the people in the world even in South Sudan they continuing to a lot so as South Sudan as poor as it is am sure it will never be poor again.” Kinogo said
The Humanitarian Coordinator for Caritas South Sudan Joseph Pasquale says the Establishment of the Consulate in the country will ease movement to Italy.
He says his organization and others that wished to travel to Italy faces several challenges in acquiring visas.
‘In the past it was very difficult to apply for a visa we were requested to travel to Ethiopia in order to process a visa. The process of traveling to Addis and back has a cost implication since it is quite expensive. By having an embassy here will be helpful’ Pasquale added
In 2013, two years after South Sudan gained its independence, the Pope sent Archbishop Charles Balvo to serve as the first papal ambassador to the world’s youngest state.
However Archbishop Balvo conducted his diplomatic mission from Nairobi, Kenya, and never lived in Juba.