IGAD in South Sudan: Evaluation of its roles as a peace mediator

Abstract

This article evaluates the effectiveness of the Intergovernmental Authority on
Development (IGAD) in its role as a peace mediator in South Sudan. As
regional organizations increasingly take primacy in local conflict resolution,
this study examines IGAD's transition from a developmental body to a
central security actor, particularly following the outbreak of civil war in
2013. By assessing IGAD's interventions through the 2015 Agreement on the
Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS) and the 2018 Revitalized
Agreement (R-ARCSS), the paper analyzes the organization’s performance
across several criteria, including political neutrality, inclusivity, and
monitoring capacity. The findings reveal a mixed record: while IGAD
successfully provided a platform for regional ownership and halted large-
scale nationwide fighting, its efforts have been consistently undermined by
competing member-state interests, elite-centric bargaining, and a lack of
coercive enforcement mechanisms. Furthermore, the study highlights how
the marginalisation of local conflict drivers and grassroots stakeholders has
resulted in a fragile peace settlement prone to repeated delays and relapses
into violence. The paper concludes by recommending that IGAD
institutionalise conflict-of-interest protocols, embed community-level
reconciliation into future agreements, and strengthen enforcement through
targeted sanctions to guide South Sudan toward a stable constitutional order.