Ownership at Grassroots Level to Support Regional Commitments: The Case of IGAD and the South Sudan Conflict

Abstract

The idea of local ownership is regarded as an important pillar for the advancement
of African solutions to the continent’s development challenges. While there
is consensus as to its importance and demand among practitioners in the
peacebuilding field and development in general; the concept still raises a number
of questions related to its definition, scope, and feasibility. The paper seeks to
analyse the notion of local ownership using the South Sudan conflict that broke
out in late December 2013. IGAD’s swift involvement to resolve the conflict gave
a sense of hope and commitment by regional leaders towards taking primary
responsibility instead of waiting on external help to solve Africa’s peace and
security challenges. Whereas external actors were engaged in the peace processes
in Addis Ababa, IGAD took the lead as a mediator between the main protagonists.
The repeated violations of cessation of hostilities agreements coupled with
boycotting of peace talks were reflections of the ‘non-dialogue’ approach taken
by the warring parties. In addition, IGAD’s warnings against these violations
did not translate into punitive measures against the parties. During the peace
process, the belligerent parties were reluctant to allow non-armed stakeholders to
participate meaningfully; this revealed the disadvantaged position of civil society
and grassroots organisations in relation to peace efforts undertaken at the regional
level. Thus the paper recommends the establishment of a framework of guiding
principles that would compel actors in peace processes to involve non-armed
stakeholders as critical partners. These principles would contribute to concerted
efforts that ensure the participation of the African citizenry in order to promote
local ownership; a crucial aspect for supporting the commitment of regional
leaders in resolving Africa’s peace and security challenges. Without enhancing the
capacity of the African citizenry to contribute to and own solutions at the local
level, the sustainability of such solutions might be undermined, however afrocentric
they might be.