What if South Sudan tops international agendas on positive notes?

“Creating a country ex nihilo is never an easy feat.” That’s a memorable quote from the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. How does one create construct functional government institutions from scratch in a land that has been in conflict for decades?” the institute questions.
Prolonged ethnic tensions and colonial administration baggage embedded across various institutions make this uphill battle even steeper.
When Gerald Hyman was serving as an officer for the United States Agency for International Development before and after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, he noted the complex politics surrounding the conflict and peace as he worked with the SPLA/M.
Hyman evaluated the proto-ministries being created by the time. Given his background in the country, what he found made him optimistic about the success of an independent South Sudan. Several years later, South Sudan continued to dominate international arena – mostly for sympathetically unpleasant stories.
However, the 36th Extraordinary Assembly of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) gives a ray of hope to achieve a better and prosperous South Sudan, hopefully that will also transform our narrative as a country.
Since the signing of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in February this year, IGAD and the African Union continuously urged the world to acknowledge notable progress being made by parties to the deal.
First, it was a deadlock on the number of states, which many thought would jeopardize the stability that the country has seen since 2018. Mindful of the essence of peace, President Salva Kiir reverted the country to ten states, commanding praise from citizens and the international community.
It wasn’t over just yet; another political stand-off would emerge over the allocation of these states, and this would take nearly a month. The parties would apply the South Sudanese solutions to South Sudanese problems and the stand-off was resolved.
What about the appointment of State Governors? This was so contentious that intercommunal violence had to sprawl across various states for leaders to set their egos aside and prioritize the well-being of the citizens by appointing State Governors.
Now, what other political heck? Oh, the reconstitution of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly. Undoubtedly a key to the operation of every government structure, a function parliament is mandatory for South Sudan. This is where laws are passed, this is where annual national budgets are presented. The essence of having a reconstituted parliament cannot and must not be underestimated.
South Sudan could go for an election after the three-year transitional period elapses. According to political analysts, that could open a wholly new chapter for South Sudan to embark on another fresh journey.
Kenyan orator Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba in one of his presentations bluntly said South Sudan will not be peaceful for the next ten years. But our country isn’t shaped by a public speaker who denounces corruption, yet he left an anti-corruption commission for being corrupt.