South Sudan
Efforts to implement an August 2015 peace agreement in South Sudan faltered in July 2016. The civil war, sparked by rivalry between the country’s two main leaders, resumed and has left the country on the brink of genocide, according the United Nations. The U.S. Institute of Peace has worked in South Sudan since before independence to bridge divides between communities and promote inclusion. USIP supports the Sudd Institute to conduct independent research, trains civic leaders on intergroup dialogue and gender dynamics, and produces of a youth-focused radio show. Learn more in USIP’s fact sheet on The Current Situation in South Sudan.
Featured Publications
South Sudan: Friendship Over Fear (Video)
A civil war that has plagued South Sudan, the world’s newest country, over the past four years verges on ethnic genocide and has left half the prewar population in need of humanitarian aid. As the international community tries to help end the violence, the U.S. Institute of Peace brought two of the country’s promising young leaders—one from each side of the divide—to Washington to pursue research on ways to heal the rifts. By the end of their stay, they may have learned just as much from each other.
South Sudan Disaster Demands U.S. Attention, Coons Says
U.S. Senator Chris Coons, back from a recent trip to South Sudan, urged the Trump administration to make the conflict and humanitarian crisis in the African nation a priority. He also suggested that a special envoy might spur a peace process among the country’s warring factions.
The Questionable Case for Easing Sudan Sanctions
Amb. Princeton N. Lyman testified before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights & International Organizations
Current Projects
Sudanese and South Sudanese Youth Leaders Program
The U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) launched its Sudanese & South Sudanese Youth Leaders program in 2013. The program brings Sudanese and South Sudanese peacebuilders between ages 18 and 35 to Washington, DC to be in residence at the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) for four months. The goal of the project is to support youth to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to further their peacebuilding work and position themselves as stronger peacebuilding agents in their communities. USIP will b...