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.
Publisher
University of Nairobi