State Building and Conflict in the Horn of Africa: A Case Study of South Sudan 2015-2019

Internal conflict in Sudan began as early as 1955 before the country attained independence in 1956. There were numerous efforts by local and international community actors to solve the conflict impasse but failed. In 1993, the separatist government of Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) invited Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a sub-regional organization to help mediate the civil conflict. Through IGAD mediation, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed in 2005 which saw South Sudan gain independence from Sudan in 2011. Even though the international community and national actors have played a significant role in preventing violent conflict in South Sudan, state-building is still dire. Military and police institutions with mandate to or peace and sustainable security are poorly organized, trained, funded with poor institutional structure. South Sudan has low life expectancy and declining Gross National Index (GM) which indicates there exists challenges with the current state-building in South Sudan. The objective of this study was to assess the linkage between the prevention of violent conflict and state-building in South Sudan (2015-2019) by focusing on the role played by IGAD and United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Data was collected using both primary data interviews, and secondary sources such as journals, books, articles, and electronic sources. Data collected was analyzed using content analysis and presented in a narrative form. The findings show that the inability of UNMISS to protect civilians in Juba conflict in 2015 where SSPDF meted violence on civilians, including rape, abuse and human rights violations with no consequences from UNMISS dented the organization's reputation and ability to engage on state-building. Equally, despite IGAD's peace-building efforts, sustainable peace in South Sudan has not been achieved. This is due to South Sudan's weak institutions, corrupt civil service, poor economic markets, limited capacity for participatory, inclusive and transparent governance and years of insecurity. The study recommends for a comprehensive legal framework for IGAD and UNMISS with enforceable compliance mechanisms for conflict prevention and mitigation, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, protection of civilians and state-building.