(VOVworld) - US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in South Sudan on Friday in an effort to bring about a ceasefire and halt the civil war that has ravaged the country over the past 4 months.

South Sudanese Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin, right, welcomes US Secretary of State John Kerry upon his arrival at Juba International Airport. Photo: AP

This is John Kerry’s first visit to South Sudan as US Secretary of State and he was scheduled to meet with South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and hold phone conversations with Deputy President Riek Machar. He was also expected to meet with UN peace-keeping force representatives in South Sudan as well as heads of the social organization representing this country’s refugees.