Locally-led peacebuilding in South Sudan

Recorded in the field — with all the onlookers, interruptions and humour that come with it — this episode captures an unfiltered conversation about the realities of peacebuilding in South Sudan. We discuss two journeys: how plans can work or unravel, new directions emerge, and how relationships of trust and commitment can guide a process when it seems like it might collapse.

In the days before the roads opening, Chief Gulech of Gumuruk suffered devastating personal loss: five family members killed and twelve children abducted in retaliatory violence. Yet he refused to let grief derail the initiative. Even as he worked to recover raided cattle, he reaffirmed his commitment to peace, declaring that leaders are “for everyone,” not just their own community.

See the road openings through the eyes of the POF and Peace Canal team members from the four groups.

This initiative was an ambitious plan to open up connections between communities along two key routes that span the expanses of remote Jonglei and GPAA.

Read the daily blog updates, photo journal and the background.

In December 2025, Murle chiefs gathered in Pibor to confront insecurity, restore customary law, and renew collective leadership. As formal sessions ended, discussions continued into the night—signalling a shift from crisis response toward sustained, locally owned peacebuilding grounded in accountability, inclusion, and shared responsibility.

Women across Jonglei and GPAA are leading courageous, community-driven efforts to trace, recover, and reunite abducted children. Through the ICGS platform, they are proving themselves not just participants but key architects of peace - mobilising communities, bridging divides, and transforming child recovery into a powerful force for healing and reconciliation.