Challenges of Implementing Peace Agreements in Africa: a Case Study of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Abstract

On 9 January 2005 the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Government of Sudan (GoS) signed a peace agreement called the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which ended the conflict in southern Sudan that had been going on since 1983 and had resulted in at least 54 000 battle-related deaths. The CPA is composed of six partial agreements that have been signed by the parties. This study recognizes the fact that despite the signing of the CPA, the conflicts between the Government of Sudan and the SPLM seem to be far from over. The six-year transition period is coming to its end and yet there is still a lot to be done to implement what is provided for in the signed protocols and the CPA at large. This study explores the challenges facing the two peace agreement partners in the implementation of the CPA. This study will make use of both primary and secondary data. However, Most of the data used is secondary data. It has explored and critically analyzed works that have been published on peace agreements in Sudan and in Africa, the works that are in public domain. Such works include books, journals, articles, newspapers, relevant papers presented at different for a, and print and electronic media that have a relation to this area of study. In this study we have used the peace building theory to understand the challenges of the Sudan CPA and other peace agreements in Africa. Peace building theory looks at the whole process of building peace as a process that facilitates the establishment of durable peace and tries to prevent the recurrence of violence by addressing root causes and effects of conflict through reconciliation, institution building, and political as well as economic transformation. This consists of a set of physical, social, and structural initiatives that are often an integral part of post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in Sudan was a culmination of a persisting attempt to find solution to Sudan's most intractable rebellion in the southern part of the country. The implementation of the CPA faces several major obstacles in the near future, and unfortunately the outlook is bleak. There are three main reasons for this; the lack of will within the NCP to implement the agreement, the SPLM's lack of capacity to implement the CPA and the widespread problems on the ground. In addition to this the lack of engagement by the international community reduces the possibilities for the successful implementation of the CPA