Reviewing options for peace in South Sudan

The report analyzes the relapse into violence in South Sudan following its 2011 independence, identifying the root causes as political power struggles and structural governance failures rather than purely ethnic conflict. It argues that the leadership of both President Salva Kiir and Riek Machar has failed to provide a strategic vision, resulting in a state characterized by corruption, patronage, and a lack of institutional capacity. The author evaluates three future scenarios: a transitional government of national unity, a neutral interim government, and the maintenance of the status quo. The report concludes that a neutral interim government is the most viable path to implement the systemic reforms necessary to move beyond short-term political fixes and address the country's legacy of injustice.

• The violence that began in December 2013 resulted in more than 10,000 deaths and displaced nearly one million people, both internally and externally.
• South Sudan's instability is driven by a failure of post-independence leadership to establish a strategic vision, coupled with systemic corruption and the use of ethnic identity to maintain power.
• The ruling Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLM) is perceived as being managed by military principles, lacking democratic checks and balances, and blurring the line between the party and the government to profit from oil revenues.
• The interim constitution grants the president extensive discretionary powers, making him one of the most powerful leaders in Africa and predisposing the state toward authoritarianism.
• While often described as an ethnic conflict between the Dinka and Nuer, the violence is actually rooted in struggles for political power and access to oil proceeds, with ethnicity serving as a tool for mobilization.
• A transitional government of national unity (GNU) between Salva Kiir and Riek Machar is viewed as a potential short-term fix to stop violence but is unlikely to foster lasting peace or systemic reform due to existing mistrust.
• The author recommends a neutral interim government led by an individual without political ambitions for the next election as the best way to facilitate honest dialogue and the creation of accountable state institutions.

APA

Kisiangani, E. (2015). Reviewing options for peace in South Sudan. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/E_AfricaReport2.pdf

Chicago

Kisiangani, Emmanuel. Reviewing options for peace in South Sudan. Institute for Security Studies, 2015. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/E_AfricaReport2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kisiangani |first1=Emmanuel |title=Reviewing options for peace in South Sudan |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=March 2015 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/E_AfricaReport2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kisiangani2015reviewing, author = {Kisiangani, Emmanuel}, title = {{Reviewing options for peace in South Sudan}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/E_AfricaReport2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }