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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 30603, member: 2262"] African Union peace experts plan to visit South Sudan tomorrow. This group, called the "Panel of the Wise" and led by retired Kenyan Justice Effie Owuor, will stay five days until Sunday. They sent a letter to the UN mission saying they want to help with the current security crisis. The African Union chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, picked these diplomats on Thursday to step into the tense situation. The panel hopes to meet President Salva Kiir during their visit. Their letter didn't clearly say if they would talk with First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar, who has been under house arrest since last Wednesday. The group plans to speak with many different officials, including vice presidents, peace agreement groups, election bodies, military officers, and other important players. Their first meeting will happen with Nicholas Haysom, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative. They want his views on security problems since the country postponed elections and extended its transition period. These peace experts mark the second diplomatic mission to the capital city Juba since tensions grew worse. Raila Odinga, sent by regional group IGAD, visited last Friday as the first diplomat to address the crisis. The United Nations head António Guterres asked President Kiir on Friday to free Dr. Machar and bring back the unity government created by the 2018 peace deal. Many Western countries joined this call - the US, UK, France, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, and the European Union all want Machar released. The regional group IGAD expressed alarm about his arrest, saying it hurts the fragile peace agreement from August 2018. The danger has already pushed Germany and Norway to close their embassies, with America and Britain reducing staff numbers. [/QUOTE]

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