UN Peacebuiding: Case study of South Sudan

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23184
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0106:Political science and related fields
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Yamada Mayumi 立命館大学, 国際関係学部, 助教 (10748411)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: United Nations (UN) / Peacebuilding process / South Sudan / Sustaining Peace / Sustainable Development / Humanitarian Assistance / Statebuilding

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The UN's main roles in the peacebuilding process in South Sudan include building relations with the Government of South Sudan, supporting state-building, protecting civilians, providing humanitarian assistance, ending the armed conflict and working with third country actors to implement the peace agreement. Despite the failure of the first peace agreement and the end of the armed conflict, diverse actors were involved in the revitalized peace agreement process, which resulted in the establishment of the second Transitional National Unity Government on 22 February 2020. The role played by diverse third actors, including the Catholic community, was effective. The expected role of the UN would be to find a system where peace is sustainable, using an adaptive approach and with the inclusion of conflict-affected people and communities in the hands of the South Sudanese themselves.

Free Research Field

Sustaining Peace and Sustainable Development

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的には、2013年に南スーダンの武力紛争下で国連に勤務した筆者の経験を踏まえ、同国における平和構築のプロセスを記録・分析を試みた研究成果である。国内外避難民の状況については、エチオピアとウガンダの現地視察や南スーダン国内避難民との対話を踏まえ考察した。社会的意義については、スーダンから分離・独立した南スーダンがわずか２年で内戦状態に陥ったため、同国に足を踏み入れたことのある人は限られる。それ故、南スーダンは国も人々も遠い存在であるが、避難民の状況や国家建設・平和構築プロセスを理解し、これからの南スーダン共和国が国際社会の一員としてどう歩んでいくのか知る手がかりとなる研究結果となっている。