ACCORD hosted the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Head of Mission to South Sudan, Ambassador David Mogga Kwaje Bartilmayo, at the ACCORD offices in Durban for a strategic planning meeting. These discussions are part of the ongoing collaboration to support IGAD on conflict prevention efforts in South Sudan. The meeting took place on 06 – 07 May 2024.
The strategic planning meeting was an opportunity to assess the country’s peace efforts and current challenges faced, as well as to discuss the local governance, and peacebuilding components that currently exist in the country. More specifically, the meeting identified key areas that focused on increasing IGAD’s visibility in the country and deepening its relations with the relevant ministries to conduct its work.
During the meeting it was decided that capacity building initiatives would be prioritised, specifically training in meditation, negotiation and conflict prevention with key stakeholders that will engage in conflict mitigation efforts. It was noted that South Sudan will hold its first elections since its independence, and since elections can remain a trigger for conflict, the capacity building training will be prioritised in 2024.
This planning session also led to the development of a proposal to strengthen national and local infrastructures for peace in conflict prevention and conflict mitigation in South Sudan. ACCORD will continue its engagement with the IGAD Head of Mission to South Sudan to support its country mandate. These efforts are also aligned to IGAD’s commitments to the country’s Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS).
