Throughout the past year, Pact's EPPIC program targeted and mitigated conflict threats in Southern Sudan's main urban centers (Juba, Malakal and Aweil) and key locations in the Three Areas (South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Abyei) by building viable indigenous conflict resolution capacities at the local level.

Building a Strong Foundation for Conflict Resolution

In June, Pact completed its 'Conflict Threats and Peace Assessment' report, the result of months of research on the ground and in-depth analysis of threats to the CPA in each EPPIC area of activity. The information collected was used to formulate new projects and identify key target populations for conflict resolution training.

EPPIC conducted multiple workshops throughout the region which helped gauge the capacity and level of commitment of local organizations and representatives. These workshops encouraged and facilitated the formulation of work-plans to target one or more of the identified threats to peace.

While the EPPIC program started to engage in a variety of formal and informal dialogues to identify local threats, partners and possible ways of addressing threats and root causes of conflicts, the team was also asked to act as direct mediators or facilitators to help establish or maintain open dialogue at critical moments.

EPPIC encouraged open dialogue between opposing political leaders of Southern Kordofan, which brought leaders together to discuss the ongoing security and political issues that have plagued the area for years.  The EPPIC team also conducted several meetings with traditional leaders in Kadugli, Abyei and Agok on how to strengthen the legitimacy of traditional leaders in their respective areas and to encourage consensus-building at the local level.  Pact's successes in capacity building and community outreach are achieved in collaboration with Pact’s institutional partner, the Southern Sudan Peace Commission.

Recognizing the need for intervention with local authorities to ease tensions and reduce hostilities, Pact Sudan organized a conference in Malakal in Upper Nile province.  This forum, the third in a series of high level meetings hosted by Pact Sudan, brought together governors, commissioners and traditional leaders to address ongoing political and social conflicts. Significant resolutions produced by the conference deal with issues regarding borders, internally displaced people, security, customary laws, restoration of traditional powers, and the role of women in Sudanese society. 

Partners in this Project:

EPPIC is funded by USAID (United States Agency for International Development), and works with USAID, the Southern Sudan Peace Commission (SSPC), and local partners and institutions to achieve its goals.

Point of Contact:

Judy McCallum
Chief of Party
Email: jmccallum@pactsudan.org