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Covid-19 and research in conflict-affected contexts: distanced methods and the digitalisation of suffering

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This research note explores the pressing ethical challenges associated with increased online platforming of sensitive research on conflict-affected settings since the onset of Covid-19. We argue that moving research online and the ‘digitalisation of suffering’ risks reducing complexity of social phenomena and omission of important aspects of lived experiences of violence or peacebuilding. Immersion, ‘contexting’ and trust-building are fundamental to research in repressive and/or conflict-affected settings and these are vitally eclipsed in online exchanges and…

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Rumours, Conflict Sensitivity, and COVID-19 in South Sudan

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Christopher Tuckwood and John Green Otunga reflect on how rumours and misinformation about the coronavirus has impacted on the COVID-19 response in South Sudan. Christopher Tuckwood is the Executive Director of the Sentinel Project, while John Green Otunga is the East Africa Programs Manager overseeing the implementation of the Sentinel Project’s UnaHakika (Kenya), Hagiga Wahid (South Sudan and Uganda), Kijiji Cha Amani (DRC), and Runtu Waa Nabad (Somalia) initiatives.    Introduction People all around the…

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The challenges of confronting COVID-19 amidst fragile peace in South Sudan

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Just a few months ago, many South Sudanese were breathing a sigh of relief, believing that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic had largely passed them by. Today, a virulent second wave is sweeping through the country causing huge harm to people’s health and wellbeing, damaging the already dire economy, and further interrupting the stagnating peace process. The number of cases is headed towards the 10,000 mark and there have been more than 100 deaths,…

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Pandemic Pauses: Understanding Ceasefires in a Time of Covid-19

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Key Findings Since March 2020, conflict parties have declared 25 ceasefires, across 17 countries. Ceasefires have been declared by some conflict parties in Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Syria, South Sudan, Sudan, Thailand, Ukraine and Yemen. After an initial period of ceasefires declared following the United Nations Secretary General’s call for a global ceasefire in March 2020, conflict and peace processes are increasingly returning to ‘normal’, as…

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Implications of COVID-19 on East Africa–EU Partnership on Migration and Forced Displacement

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The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the current state and prospects of partnership between the East African countries and the European Union on migration and forced displacement. The pandemic has exacerbated the root causes of migration and forced displacement. This is manifested by the continuation of irregular arrivals in Europe including from East Africa, after a brief decline in the initial phase of the COVID-19 response. The strong economic impact of the pandemic on the…

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The Peace Dimension of the COVID-19 Pandemic

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This essay argues that challenges to peace are one of the important long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It presents how violent conflict has been worsened by illegal armed actors using the pandemic to increase their strength, peace processes stalling or backsliding, and political strongmen exploiting the pandemic to consolidate power. In areas where these things are occurring, Catholic actors are responding with peacebuilding approaches. And the Catholic Church is particularly well-positioned to address these…

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COVID-19 and the Political Transition in South Sudan

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Publication Summary The implementation of the R-ARCSS is stalled, as the parties have had difficulty gathering sufficient momentum to push the Agreement forward. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had serious negative impacts on the ability of the parties to implement the Agreement. The crush of oil prices in the global market, South Sudan’s lack of credit worthiness internationally, US Treasury’s warnings, corruption, and South Sudan’s weak fiscal and monetary policies, all make it…

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Deepening Africa’s Continental Trade & Economic Relations amid COVID-19

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“The effect of COVID-19 has not been limited to Africa alone. The pandemic first emerged in China, the epicentre, from where it spread to Europe, and then to North and South America. If these regions of the world that have been heavily infected and affected by COVID-19, are able to implement measures to bounce back then we in Africa must do the same by learning from their experience and by devising our own home-grown solutions.”…

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Community Approaches to Epidemic Management in South Sudan: Lessons from local healthcare systems in tackling COVID-19

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South Sudanese people have extensive knowledge of infectious diseases and experience of organizing responses to epidemics during wars and other crises. There are multiple, locally-specific methods used by communities for interrupting infection transmission and managing epidemics. This report documents these community infectious disease management strategies, based on sustained investigative research in the Yei, Juba, Wau, Malakal, Aweil West and Rubkona areas in 2020. The research encourages collaborative engagement with local knowledge and community healthcare leadership….

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The Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in South Sudan: An Update

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This policy brief studies the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Sudan. The findings are educative. First, the health effects of the pandemic in the country have been surprisingly less pronounced than expected, marked by very low morbidity and fatality rates. Second, despite this positive health news, the pandemic has had negative effects on the economy, starting with dramatic declines in domestic production and revenue collection, followed by a very volatile rising cost…

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