This Energy Peace Partners blog post summarizes a new report co-authored by CIC’s Eugene Chen, “New Report: Renewable Energy and the United Nations: A Green Spark for Peace in South Sudan.”
South Sudan’s future – and relief from its cycle of conflict – is linked to its reliance on fossil fuels, with limited but possible options for charting a new course. The world’s newest country gained independence in 2011 amid international fanfare, yet the celebrations were short-lived, with the outbreak of civil war in late 2013 bringing devastating consequences for the population. South Sudan’s energy sector is deeply embedded in the dynamics of the conflict, from the economy’s near total dependence on oil production and the accompanying patronage systems to the reliance on imported diesel for access to electricity. Creative solutions could help South Sudan break this cycle, and in at least one area – renewable energy – unique opportunities exist for the government and its international and national partners to support the development of a new, more sustainable, and widely accessible electricity infrastructure.