Conflict Prevention and Resolution
Senior 6 · History
Conflict Prevention and Resolution
Lesson 5 of 5
25 min
South Sudan became Africa's newest state on 9 July 2011, after decades of war. In December 2013 a political quarrel within its ruling party turned into a civil war. A peace agreement mediated by IGAD in 2015 collapsed in July 2016. A second, the Revitalised Agreement, was signed in Addis Ababa on 12 September 2018, and a transitional government of national unity was formed in February 2020; but the first elections under the agreement have been postponed more than once, and a UN mission (UNMISS) has stayed in the country since 2011. Why is it so hard to turn a signed agreement into lasting peace? This lesson weighs the challenges and the possible solutions.
Definition
Spoiler: a leader or group that uses violence or obstruction to undermine a peace process because it threatens their power or interests.
Small arms and light weapons: weapons that one or two people can carry and use, such as rifles and grenades; their easy spread fuels violence.
Political will: the readiness of leaders to take the decisions and pay the costs that peace requires.
Implementation: carrying out what an agreement promises, such as forming a unified army or holding elections.
Misinformation: false information spread, deliberately or not, which can inflame tensions.
| Challenge | Why it matters | Possible solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of political will among the parties | leaders sign agreements but delay or avoid carrying them out | guarantors and timetables; regional and international pressure; sanctions on spoilers; support for citizens' voices |
| Sovereignty and consent | states may refuse mediators or peacekeepers | early, quiet diplomacy; regional mediators trusted by the parties; the Responsibility to Protect (Unit 8) |
| Divisions in the UN Security Council | the veto of a permanent member can block action | regional action under Chapter VIII; General Assembly debate after every veto (since 2022); voluntary restraint on the veto |
| Lack of money and equipment | African-led missions have often depended on uncertain outside funding | the AU Peace Fund; since December 2023 the Security Council (Resolution 2719) can allow UN funding for AU-led operations case by case |
| Spoilers, armed groups and small arms | a few armed actors can wreck an agreement | inclusive talks; disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration; controls on the arms trade |
| Competition for resources | minerals, land and water give armed groups money and motives | transparent management of resources; fair land policies; cooperation across borders |
| Poverty, unemployment and climate change | young people without work, and droughts and floods, increase tension over land and water | jobs and skills for youth; climate adaptation; social protection |
| Hate speech and misinformation | false stories spread fast online and can mobilise violence | media literacy; fact-checking; laws against incitement; responsible platforms |
| Refugees and displacement | displaced people need protection, and their return must be safe and voluntary | support for host communities; durable solutions; regional cooperation |
Studies of peace processes point to a few conditions that make peace last: the agreement includes all the main armed and political actors and gives a voice to women and civil society; guarantors stay engaged during implementation; former fighters are disarmed and reintegrated; and the causes of the conflict, such as exclusion, injustice and competition for resources, are addressed, not only the fighting. South Sudan's experience shows what happens when implementation lags: violence returns or the peace remains fragile.
Rwanda's experience adds its own lessons: justice to end impunity, a shared national identity, reconciliation programmes, the reintegration of former combatants through the Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission, and home-grown mechanisms such as Abunzi and Umuganda that build trust between citizens.
Warning
Signing is not the same as peace. Many essays end the story at the signing ceremony. Examiners reward answers that follow the agreement into implementation: was the army unified, were elections held, did displaced people return, were spoilers stopped?
Tip
Challenge, evidence, solution, limit. Build each paragraph in four steps, for example: the veto (challenge); action blocked in the Security Council (evidence); General Assembly debate after every veto (solution); but the debate cannot overturn the veto (limit).
Important
Discuss. Which challenge in the table can young people do most to meet, and how? Think about misinformation online, peace clubs at school and dialogue in your community.
Practice
Further reading
Sources and credits
Written by Ganzaa: the analysis, the table, the timeline and the exercises.
