Sub-regional organizations in conflict management:a case of Igad in south Sudan

Abstract

The Sudanese conflict started in1956 immediately after attaining independence. Several efforts made by successive Sudanese governments and other actors to resolve the conflict failed. The failure led the Government of Sudan (Gos) and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to invite IGAD sub-regional organization in 1993 to help. The IGAD mediation efforts cumulated in the signing of the CPA in 2005 between the protagonists. This study objective was to investigate the IGAD sub-regional Organization role in management of the South Sudan conflict..To effectively achieve this objective, the study relied on documents review analysis of secondary data. The research problem was studied through a descriptive research design which enabled the researcher to make inferences over the independent variable as well as the independent variables and the data was analyzed quantitatively. The study concludes that IGAD’s mediation role in the Sudan conflict arose out of security interest of the member states and, IGAD effect as a regional organization enhanced the resolution of the Sudan conflict. The study has shown that the support given to IGAD by international actors by the United Nations and Major Western countries, including the US, gave the organization a moral standing with the two belligerents. The study recommends that there is need for sub regional organizations to develop a funding strategy to be independent and self supporting.. Finally there is need for member states of any organization to demonstrate commitment to the organization to facilitate its operations. Membership to multiple organizations, as happens with most of IGAD members’ states, tends to dilute commitment to one or the other. The study recommends that IGAD should receive continued support from the governments of the region as they all strive to increase regional capacity to handle matters of conflict management.