The area that is today’s South Sudan was once a marginalized region in the Republic of Sudan administered by tribal chiefs during the British colonial period (1899-1955). In the 1950s, marginalization gave rise to the Anyanya I rebellion, spearheaded by southern Sudanese separatists and resulting in the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972). The war ended after the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement, only for another civil war to break out in 1983 instigated by the Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). The Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005), one of the longest civil wars on record, officially ended in 2005 with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) by the SPLM/A and the government of Sudan. In 2011, six years after the end of the civil war, South Sudan gained independence from the Republic of Sudan.
South Sudan is home to more than 60 ethnic groups, with the Dinka and the Nuer constituting the largest numbers. Most of these groups are further divided into clans and sub-clans. Economically, the majority of the population depends on farming and animal husbandry, making land and pastures two critical resources of competition and inter-communal conflicts. Representation and access to these resources have often been tied to ethnicity and political power, which further exacerbates the country’s instability.
The purpose of this report is to provide analysis and recommendations to assist the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Member States and Development Partners in decision-making and in the implementation of peace and security-related instruments.