Five young South Sudanese have been selected by the US embassy to attend the Young African Leadership Initiative in the United State.

They will also attend an upcoming summit by President Barrack Obama.

The US Charge de Affaires, David Kauper, says the five are expected to travel next week.

He was addressing the youth in a ceremony held in Juba.

“As Mandela Washington Fellows for YALI, you are among 500 dynamic young African leaders selected across the continent to travel to the United States for six months of leadership training and mentoring,” Mr Kauper said.

“You will attend some of America’s top Universities for six weeks of academic course work. Afterwards you will participate in a presidential summit convened by president Obama in Washington DC and some of you will then remain in the United States and follow an internship.”

Lam Tungwar, who was recently appointed Unity State Minister of Youth and Sports, is one of the five young leaders.

“I’m going to attend the course and see how I can put to work the knowledge that I’m going to gain,” Mr Tungwar told Eye Radio.

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) was launched by President of the United States Barack Obama in 2010.