Rethinking Post-Conflict States in Africa: Perspective on Armed Conflicts and Peace Agreements in South Sudan (2026 – 2020)

The overall objective of this study is to investigate armed conflicts and peace process in South Sudan and how this peace process shaped the political structure of South Sudanese state. Precisely, this study aims to survey the provocations facing the peace agreements - R-ARCSS in South Sudan, exploring the factors behind armed conflicts in South Sudan, and how best this study would draw a remedy for resolving armed conflicts in South Sudan. This study employed a bi-model method of sampling design vested on the simple random sampling and purposive sampling design in the process of collecting data. The study unit of analysis is based on the researchers prior experience and from the primary and secondary sources of data. This way, 100 self-administered questionnaires were distributed and the response rate was 81. 81% rate of return of the total questionnaire is suitable for drawing a scientific conclusion. This study had also employed both the qualitative and quantitative form of data analysis, where the former had been attributed to the thorough review of the responses obtained from the administered questionnaires through a documentation process given the themes provided whilst the later was presented on a descriptive form of statistics meant through the frequency distribution tables with the help of Statistical Packages of Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21. The study found that, security sector reform had remained to be the hindrance behind the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement in South Sudan and that issues such as the power struggle, militarization of politics and politicization of military, proliferation of the small arms and historical legacies played a significant role in engendering and sustaining
armed conflicts in post-independent South Sudan. While the study concludes that the parties to the conflicts should to urgently implement R-ARCSS in totality, the study also recommends: demonstration of political will by the stakeholders to the revitalized peace agreements to implement the agreement in later and spirit;
funding of the security sector in order to realize the graduation of the unified forces on the ground, the conduct of the timely election that reflects the will of the people and the clear-cut fission between politics and military to save country from falling back in the trap of armed conflicts and stuck transitions.

Keywords: Rethinking, Post, Conflict, States, Africa, Perspective, Armed, Peace Agreements, South Sudan.