Both Sudans are at critical junctures in their political and economic transitions. Sudan still has to mitigate the aftermath of a military counter-coup that disrupted the political transition process. South Sudan has prolonged the formal transition process attached to the peace agreement Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) by 24 months. Both face deep economic crises and international political economies that risk fragmenting both countries. Meanwhile, Sudan’s civic communities acutely illustrate the power of civic movements to meaningfully resist the coercive politics that define the nature of governance in both Sudans. 

Track and monitor the implementation of peace and transition processes for South Sudan via the PA-X Tracker.

PeaceRep’s South Sudan research explores public authority in South Sudan, the key dynamics between Sudan and South Sudan and their impact on each other’s transition process, the role of different types of financial flows on governance outcomes, and dimensions of predatory peace and fiscal predation. PeaceRep is developing policy analyses and academic research rooted in robust evidence bases gathered in both countries and from across the world.

South Sudan’s peace agreements have often embedded wartime economic structures into post-conflict governance, sustaining elite extraction and civic exclusion. Recent research highlights how negotiated settlements institutionalised predatory revenue-raising practices, enabling coercive redistribution and undermining political inclusion. These dynamics underpin PeaceRep’s analysis of financial flows, public authority, and civic perceptions of peace. This work also complements ongoing research on women’s engagement in peace processes, including the contributions of Nyachangkuoth Rambang Tai and others within PeaceRep’s women in peacebuilding stream. Together, these efforts strengthen PeaceRep’s attention to both macro-level political economy and grassroots civic participation.

We are also examining perceptions of peace in South Sudan, through a series of surveys recording daily experiences of safety and views on elections, governance arrangements, security arrangements, trust in public authorities, civic space, national identity, and social cohesion. Browse the interactive dashboard to explore findings from the surveys: Perceptions of Peace in South Sudan.

South Sudan is a key element of our work in the Global Transitions series, which looks at fragmentations in the global order and how these impact peace and transition settlements.

We are also exploring the role of digital technologies in the violation and application of humanitarian law, and its consequences for famine risk and prevention.

Team

PeaceRep’s South Sudan research is led by the Conflict and Civicness Research Group at LSE Ideas and the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations (CTPSR) at Coventry University. The project is delivered in collaboration with World Peace Foundation at Tufts University, with in-country partners Detcro and Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) and independent consultants Nyachangkuoth Rambang Tai and Adut Alaak Garang.