IGAD, Political Settlements and Peace building in South Sudan:

South Sudan became the world’s youngest nation on 22nd July 2011. Two years down the road, the country descended into conflict and civil strife. A series of revitalization talks initiated by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) led to the revitalization of the previously signed and broken Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS). This paper explores IGAD’s role in facilitating and supporting peacebuilding and conflict mediation initiatives in South Sudan and highlights key challenges that must be addressed and windows of opportunities that could be exploited for its effective implementation.