The Juba Interim ICGS agenda-setting meeting underscored the importance of sustained dialogue and action, even in the face of significant obstacles on the ground. The participants demonstrated their commitment to addressing key issues, including abductions, road access, and information-sharing, which are crucial for fostering trust and cooperation among their communities.

The cycles of opportunity and threat continue in Jonglei and GPAA. Peace partners in the area based programming experimented with a new approach to supporting community leadership agency in the dissemination of local peace processes.

From 5-7 April, the Inter-Communal Governance Structures met in Akobo town. With pressure in some parts of the community to retaliate against ongoing sporadic attacks from the GPAA, this ICGS meeting needed practical follow-up measures. Peace Canal’s Area Coordination team speak to the Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund (POF) on the key points from the meeting.

After three successful internal annual cattle migration conferences among the Dinka Agar of Lakes State, the fourth annual forum this time extended to the Belle community. The ‘institution’ of the cattle migration conference is proving an important anchor point to the peace governance system in the area.

With justice and accountability echoed as priorities in conferences, workshops and international agendas across South Sudan, we can lose sight of the potential in traditional approaches to provide redress in ways that have legitimacy and relevance to the communities involved. The recent process between Dachuek and Ayual reminds us of this potential.

After a successful renewal of the Inter-Communal Governance Structures for Jonglei-GPAA in July, the delegates came together in Ayod from 2-6 November. Weather plagued the logistics, but the meeting maintained momentum from the first gathering in Juba.

After more than a year in abeyance, the Inter-Communal Governance Structures re-convened in Juba to discuss ways forward amidst the ongoing conflict between and within communities of Jonglei and GPAA.

December 2022 violence disrupted the fragile inter-communal peace process in Jonglei and Greater Pibor. Over the last month, conversations have taken place across the communities to determine the appetite for the Pieri Peace Process to continue.

In the climate of escalating mobilisation among the youth of Norther Jonglei, the newly constituted Murle Age Set Council went ahead with its planned visit to Rumbek, 7-12 December. The recent Jonglei-GPAA violence has undermined the implementation plan, but a foundation remains in place.

Learning and review is at the centre of Peace Canal’s approach under the Peacebuilding Opportunities Fund. A new project with CAFOD and Trócaire in Partnership (CTP) is enabling a process to share experiences and lessons between peacebuilding work in the Rumbek and Yirol areas.

Weideng is home to the shrine of the Nuer spiritual leader Ngundeng and represents a historical and spiritual focal point for the wider Nuer community. 26 May – 01 April, Nuer from Ayod, Nyirol, Uror, Akobo and Ulang came to Weideng for a peace Conference culminating months of local pre-dialogues.

The peace engagement in Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) continues in the face of active mobilisation attempts led by some factions of armed youth leadership in Jonglei. From 24 April to 1 May, a delegation of community leaders, supported by a combined team from Nonviolent Peaceforce and Peace Canal, visited communities in the Nanaam area of GPAA.

Almost one year since the Pieri agreement, persistent provocations undermine the stability needed for both humanitarian and development assistance. Simplified narratives characterise this as one community’s youth uncontrolled and wreaking havoc across the area. The reality is more complex in both sides, and a series of intra-communal dialogues is underway to identify internal levers for the inter-communal peace.

The inter-communal peace process in Greater Jonglei and Pibor is endlessly fraught, and yet holding. The second meeting of the inter-communal governance structures, launched in Bor in October, took place in Pibor from 18-20 December.

Although the conversation on cattle migration typically a male-dominated one, this year’s Dinka Agar internal cattle migration conference provided a platform both for women’s representation, and also the voices of young women who have an agenda for their community in this part of the country.

As tensions increase with the onset of the dry season and ongoing criminal attacks, leaders of Lou, Gawaar Nuer and Murle met in Kongor 22-26 November to discuss practical steps that can be taken in the crucial weeks ahead.

Although the two communities are geographically non-contiguous, they have been in direct conflict with each other. These meetings in Gumuruk and Ayod, with the support of the Jonglei State Government and GPAA, were the first time for the leadership of the two communities to meet on a peaceful footing.

By the closing day of the inception workshop for the inter-communal governance structures, the tone had noticeably shifted. The tendency to revert to the blame game steered back towards a collective responsibility for the peace…

The implementation of the Pieri peace process continues with the inception workshop for inter-communal structures for traditional, youth and women leaders, respectively…