It's the first visit by a pontiff since South Sudan gained independence in 2011 and Francis will be joined in the capital, Juba, by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The pope is honouring a promise to visit the country which he made in 2019 when he welcomed South Sudan's rival leaders, President Salva Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar.

Pope Francis concluded his visit to the DR Congo by urging young people to shun corruption.