South Sudan’s independence in 2011 marked the end of a prolonged period of conflict with its northerly neighbour Sudan. In our new report, we assess the opportunities for building a more positive peace in the new country.
South Sudan’s independence was the culmination of the six-and-a-half-year Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) with Sudan. However, the two countries have not fully demarcated national borders, held referendums on the status of Abyei, or successfully addressed the future status of South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
Bilateral relations have also been hit by economic disputes, with oil production in South Sudan grinding to a halt earlier this year after the failure to agree transit fees for oil coming through Sudan. Intermittent blockades of cross-border trade have exacerbated the loss of income. While the mass return of several hundred thousand people to South Sudan has further impacted the economy. South Sudan urgently needs economic development strategies that are conflict-sensitive and promote peace.
South Sudan also needs to address the problematic internal power dynamics in the country, responsible for much of the violence in 2011-2012. This involves tackling impunity, promoting a more positive and peaceful national identity, empowering women and young people, giving greater priority to reconciliation efforts in the country, expanding peacebuilding efforts to areas away from the capital and drawing on local people’s knowledge
Our peace and conflict assessment analyses the challenges and impact of peacebuilding efforts in South Sudan, and future opportunities for success, focusing on five key “peace factors”: power, economy, safety, justice and wellbeing. It was commissioned by Pact [4] and funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) [5]. The research for the report was carried out between June 2011 and March 2012.
To read our analysis in full, download the report here [6].