Date & Time: Wednesday 19 February, 7-9PM
Venue: Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Room K6.29, King’s Building, Strand Campus, King’s College London, WC2R 2LS

Speakers: Tim Morris, UK Special Envoy to the South Sudan Peace Talks; Gonyi Ajawin, Associate, Fasken Martineau LLP; Veronique Barbelet, Research Fellow, Overseas Development Institute. Chair: Professor Jack Spence OBE, Department of War Studies, Kings College London

The Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) achieved independence in 2011 under President Salva Kiir. Since secession, much of the international focus on South Sudan has been Salva Kiir’s relationship with Omar al-Bashir, border demarcation and the oil pipeline, neglecting growing internal tensions within this new state. Just two years later following President Kiir’s dismissal of this entire cabinet, a power struggle between the Kirr and his former Vice-President – Riek Machar erupted in Juba and spread throughout the country, especially in the oil regions such as Unity Sate. From 15th of December – 23 January rebels loyal to Reik Machar took up arms against the government in a conflict that has claimed an up to 10,000 lives and displaced an estimated 700,000 people.

With a cease-fire agreed on the 23 January in Addis Ababa the prospects of securing peace are on the rise, but isolated instances of fighting between the SPLM and rebels threaten the agreement. The panel will explore some of the challenges the country may come up against on its path to peace, and consider the role of South Sudan’s neighbours, the wider international community and non-state actors in South Sudan.

Event in partnerhip with the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

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