Conflict Trends Update

SOUTH SUDAN

South Sudan’s leaders are debating this week a controversial proposal to extend their time in power beyond February 2023, when the 2018 peace deal’s transitional period was supposed to end after national elections that have yet to be scheduled are unlikely to occur any time soon. Earlier this month, the U.S. announced it had withdrawn funding for the ceasefire monitoring body in the country, citing a lack of progress on the peace deal provisions. Crisis Group expert Alan Boswell says the looming end of the peace deal is ratcheting up political tensions in the country and forcing the parties to negotiate new timelines for elections and other key promises they’ve made, such as for a new constitution and unified national army.