Webinar | Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. (ET)
The opinions expressed throughout this webinar by program participants do not necessarily reflect those of the Libertas Council or its affiliates.
The combination of oil revenues, leadership succession issues, ethnic divides, and political and humanitarian disengagement by both the U.S. and the wider international community is driving South Sudan to the brink, igniting conflict throughout the country. These are some of the thoughtful opinions shared by the Hon. Reath Muoch Tang (Member of the South Sudan Parliament), Dr. Joshua Craze (Researcher, Journalist) Ms. Patricia Rodrigues (Control Risks), and Mr. Justin Lynch (Conflict Insights Group) during the webinar, South Sudan on the Brink: Avoiding War, Resolving Grievances, Finding Peace. Ambassador John Cotton Richmond of the Libertas Council moderated the conversation.
One of the world’s youngest countries, South Sudan has a population of 12.7 million people. With a rich history, natural resources, and the Nile River running through, it holds strategic geopolitical interest. It is also a place of political instability and violence. The Revitalized Agreement on Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (“the peace agreement”) aimed to end the South Sudanese Civil War in 2018. Rather than use the peace agreement to form a unified government, the panel discussed how the South Sudanese government is using its cover to dissolve the country into war, killing its citizens, and displacing thousands of people annually. The violence of 2025 is an intensification of that process.
South Sudan is an intractable puzzle to the diplomatic and international communities. Mr. Justin Lynch spoke of the importance of understanding the multi-faceted factors leading to South Sudan’s conflict to understand why the peace agreement is not working. Dr. Joshua Craze said that the international community should recognize that the current South Sudanese government does not intend to implement the peace agreement. Calling the peace agreement “a different name for war,” he made the case that the current government is using the peace agreement to fragment the opposition to protect its power and succession plans, rather than promote democratic elections leading to a peaceful democratic society. He urged for long-term processes of revitalization by the international community through sustained engagement with the democratic culture on the ground within South Sudan.
The panelists discussed how the United Arab Emirates will likely be a key player in deciding the future of South Sudan given their investment in oil production and the international community’s broader foreign policy interests. Raising the political risks and barriers companies face due to corruption and transnational transparency laws, Ms. Patricia Rodrigues noted that companies entering South Sudan remain optimistic about infrastructure projects and the possibility of economic growth for the region. Directing the conversation to the humanitarian crisis on the ground, the Honorable Reath Tang stressed the importance of accountability with international funds entering the country to ensure they are not supporting government military forces committing violence against the people of South Sudan.
When asked what gives them hope or motivates them in their continued work in the region, the panelists talked about the courage of the South Sudanese, a realistic understanding of the historic, current, country, and regional factors driving the conflict, and a new emphasis on international engagement through business, long-term diplomacy, and support of the dynamic democratic culture inside of South Sudan. Watch the webinar here.
Featuring:
- Hon. Reath Muoch Tang
- Ms. Patricia Rodrigues
- Dr. Joshua Craze
- Mr. Justin Lynch
- Ambassador John Cotton Richmond (moderator)
Further Readings:
