FinPol Digest

  South Sudan’s already fragile peace deal is teetering on the brink as Vice President Riek Machar’s arrest sparks fears of renewed conflict . The government accuses Machar of conspiring with rebel factions, while his party, the SPLM-IO, demands his immediate release, warning that the country is dangerously close to another civil war. Yet, despite the escalating tensions, neither side seems willing to fully abandon the 2018 peace agreement — raising the question: Can South Sudan navigate this crisis without plunging back into violence? The arrest of Machar, a key architect of the 2018 peace deal, has sent shockwaves through the nation. President Salva Kiir’s government claims Machar was in contact with rebel commanders, allegedly plotting unrest ahead of planned elections. However, the SPLM-IO insists these accusations are politically motivated, arguing that Machar’s detention is an attempt to sideline the opposition. Information Minister Michael Makuei has tried to downplay fears ...

  South Sudan’s fragile peace process is teetering on the edge of collapse as the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO), a key party in the coalition government, announced its partial withdrawal from the 2018 peace agreement. The decision comes amid escalating tensions between First Vice President Riek Machar, leader of the SPLM-IO, and President Salva Kiir. The two leaders, whose rivalry has plagued South Sudan for years, are once again at odds, raising fears of a return to full-scale conflict. The immediate trigger for the SPLM-IO’s withdrawal was the arrest of several high-ranking party officials, including the petroleum minister and the deputy head of the army. These arrests followed clashes in Upper Nile state, where the White Army, an ethnic militia, forced government troops to withdraw from the town of Nasir. The government has accused the SPLM-IO of collaborating with the White Army, a claim the party vehemently denies. Oyet Nathaniel Pierino, the SPLM-...