Juba, South Sudan- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Duke University in the United States are launching a new research project on fragility in South Sudan.  The country is ranked one of the world’s most fragile nations, due to due to prolonged conflict, economic instability, and weak governance.

This is according to Fund for Peace’s Fragile States Index. The research is designed to look at how to pivot humanitarian responses towards long-term recovery, including sustainable livelihoods, governance, community resilience and social cohesion using evidence-based data to drive much needed change and development.

Over 7.1 million people in South Sudan face acute food insecurity, and 9 million rely on humanitarian aid. The current humanitarian aid model faces significant challenges such as the unequal distribution of aid and assistance, which can intensify intercommunal tension.

IOM, through its Data for Solutions initiative, partnered with the Duke University on the research which will aims to a comprehensive Fragility Index to support partners such as humanitarian organizations, development agencies and government efforts on transitioning from emergency response to more sustainable recovery, including economic stability, access to essential services, community resilience and social cohesion.

The index will assess six key dimensions, which include: societal, economic, political and legal, security, environmental and climate, and human fragility. This multidimensional approach will provide insights into South Sudan’s vulnerabilities and strengths. It will also empower partners to make informed decisions that strengthen resilience and improve local governance. 

“The transition from humanitarian aid to recovery in South Sudan requires a profound understanding of the factors that drive fragility. The fragility index will enable targeted, strategic interventions that address root causes, fostering long-term resilience and sustainable development in South Sudanese communities”. Vijaya Souri, Chief of Mission, IOM South Sudan.

The research is being funded by the European Union Directorate-General for International Partnerships (EU DG Intpa), the Reconciliation, Stabilization, and Resilience Fund (RSRTF), and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF),

“The European Union remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting South Sudan’s journey towards  resilience, stability and development. We believe that by taking an informed and granular approach that considers local contextual specificities based on data tools like Fragility Index, we can achieve a more impactful sustainability approach to development and peace in South Sudan”. Barbara Egger, Acting Head of Cooperation, EU delegation in South Sudan.

It is hoped that the research will lead to a strategic shift towards how to address the structural causes of fragility in South Sudan, using robust, high-quality data to inform policies and programs, the fragility index will also lead to more informed, sustainable, and equitable resource allocation, thus setting a new standard for efforts across the Humanitarian, Development and Peace Nexus in fragile contexts.

For more information on the study, please contact Cyprine Cheptepkeny on email: ccheptepkeny@iom.int or Nabie Loyce on email: nloyce@iom.int, Tell: +211 912380115