Pope in South Sudan warns leaders as peace process stalls

Pope Francis and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir deliver their speeches during their meeting in Juba’s Presidential Palace (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

Pope Francis, on a novel ecumenical peace mission to the world’s youngest country, warned South Sudan’s political leaders on Friday that history will judge them harshly if they continue to drag their feet implementing a 2018 peace accord.

Accompanying him to the overwhelmingly Christian country were the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Iain Greenshields.