In South Sudan, we continued our work with 12 partners to implement community security and peacebuilding programmes in 20 locations across eight of the country’s former ten states. Together, we worked to support communities and civil society organisations to address the root causes of conflict, reconcile different groups and build peace – with a focus on women, young people and tackling sexual and gender-based violence. As part of this work, we set up 21 new community groups, and we trained group members on community security and peacebuilding. In addition, we facilitated 15 exchange and learning visits to connect these new groups with existing ones. We also supported 86 groups to conduct 694 regular meetings, in which they made 121 action plans to address communities’ peace and security concerns.

We organised 30 community awareness campaigns and 28 dialogues within and between conflicting communities. Through these discussions, 15 conflicts over resources were resolved. Our advocacy priorities included linking up community voices to national and regional peace processes, including the revitalised peace agreement. We also mapped and worked with state-level actors, holding roundtable discussions and conferences, and producing briefing materials for national and international organisations.

Together with our partner Solidarity Association for Rehabilitation and Recovery Affairs, we brokered a successful peace agreement between the Baari and Omorwo communities. This has significantly reduced levels of violence and gives hope for an end to the seven-year conflict in Torit.