Abstract

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), established in 1986, has a mandate to promote peace, security and development in the Horn of Africa. This article seeks to critically analyse IGAD’s role in preventing genocide during the South Sudan conflict. By examining the key interventions, challenges and outcomes of IGAD’s mediation efforts, this article will explore the effectiveness of regional diplomacy in conflict prevention. The paper will also assess the limitations of IGAD’s approach and propose recommendations for strengthening its role in future peace processes. The analysis will focus on the period from 2013, when the conflict began, to the present, with a particular emphasis on the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) signed in 2018. In doing so, this article aims to contribute to the broader discourse on conflict resolution and genocide prevention in Africa, providing insights that can inform both regional and international policymaking.