UN chief to visit Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan

UNITED NATIONS -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will leave New York over the weekend for a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan, where dire humanitarian situation attracts global attention, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Friday.

On Feb 23, the secretary-general will be in Goma, a city in eastern DRC, where he will visit people impacted by the insecurity and humanitarian crisis in the region, including those living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

He will then move to Kinshasa, the DRC capital, the next day for the opening session of the Great Lakes Private Sector Investment Conference.

"He is also expected to meet with President Joseph Kabila and several government officials, as well as political and civil society representatives," said the spokesman.

On Feb. 25, Ban will leave Kinshasa for Juba, the capital of South Sudan, where he will meet with President Salva Kiir and visit a Protection of Civilians' site of the UN Mission in the country (UNMISS).