Following the secession of South Sudan on July 9, 2011, preventing violence against civilians in the new state and along its northern border will remain a priority – if not the primary challenge – for the international community. South Sudan is rife with conflict. The United Nations’ top aid official in the South reported that 800 people have died in violence, and almost 94,000 people have fled their homes since the start of 2011. The UN Secretariat, UNSC Member States, the Government of South Sudan (GOSS), and many humanitarian and human rights NGOs are undertaking assessments, preparing planning documents, and considering the future role of a UN presence in the newest state in Africa.
As such, the Stimson Center has published the report: “Considerations for a New Peacekeeping Operation in South Sudan: Preventing Conflict and Protecting Civilians.” The working paper seeks to inform debates around the future peacekeeping force by analyzing and applying recent research, policies, best practices, and lessons learned on protection and peacekeeping to the situation in South Sudan.