This paper maps five cases of recent local level peace deals in South Sudan between 2014 and 2018 to identify key criteria that strengthen the prospects of successful implementation and sustainability of local peace agreements. Critically, there are no generic formulas to achieve effective sustainable local peace deals. What works is highly contingent on the specific local context. Nonetheless, the set of criteria identified in this paper offers a useful guide for external actors who…

In the Peacemakers Toolkit Series, William Zartman and Alvaro de Soto highlight the risks for senior mediators of being associated with sanctions. Similarly, the UN’s Guidance for Effective Mediation instructs international mediators to “avoid association with punitive measures against conflict parties” in order to maintain impartiality. The implied conclusion is clear: engaging with UN sanctions can be a liability and should be avoided. This apprehension is understandable and forms a core part of the conventional…

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