This panel discussion will explore how South Sudan is strategically managing its global partnerships, the implications of these engagements for democratic transition, and the sustainability of peace in the nation. The focus extends to the upcoming elections, scrutinising governance structures and peace process implementation against the backdrop of shifting geopolitical powers.

Panelists:

• Moderator: Maggie LoWilla, Fellowships Associate and Team Lead for the ALC Working Group on South Sudan(SSWG);
• Opening note: Shuvai Busuman Nyoni, Executive Director of the African Leadership Centre (ALC) in Nairobi, Kenya;
• Varaidzo Mupunga: Mediation and advocacy officer;
• Dr Majak D’Agot: Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the African Leadership Centre;
• Patrick Godi:  Youth representative of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC); 
• Closing remarks: Dr Alagaw Ababu, Research fellow at the African Leadership Centre.

This event will be held online. A Zoom link will be emailed to participants on registering.

This event is part of Africa Week 2024 organised by the African Leadership Centre at King's. Learn more about Africa Week 2024.

About the speakers

Maggie LoWilla

Maggie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Business Studies from the Australian
Catholic University, where she worked with Josephite Community Aid in Australia, engaging
with Sudanese refugee children. She is an alumna and currently the Programme Associate of
the Fellowships Programme at the African Leadership Centre (ALC). Maggie has worked
with local civil society organisations in South Sudan and extensively engaged in promoting
youth and women’s participation in the implementation on the Revitalized Agreement on the
Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS) peace agreement.

She currently leads the ALC Working Group on South Sudan (SSWG), a research initiative that seeks to consolidate previous ALC research on state-building and peacebuilding in South Sudan, offering new academic insights into ongoing transitional processes and providing actionable recommendations to policymakers and civil society, particularly as the country prepares for its inaugural general election in December 2024.

Shuvai Busuman Nyoni

Shuvai is a Gender, Peace and Security expert currently serving as the Executive Director of the African Leadership Centre (ALC) in Nairobi, Kenya. She is the first alumna of the ALC to serve as its Executive Director, having been part of the 2009-2010 cohort of the Centre’s Peace and Security Fellowship programme for African Women. Prior to joining the Centre, Shuvai worked as the Director of Interventions and before that, Regional Advocacy Specialist for the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has worked extensively with a range of regional and national policy makers, civil society actors and academics in post-conflict and transitional countries on the African continent.

Through her work, Shuvai has engaged with issues pertaining to post-conflict reconstruction, governance, social and economic justice, transitional justice, reconciliation, and national and community healing. Shuvai also works as a gender advisor and investigator for sexual and gender-based violence as crimes in conflict and serves on the UN Women/Justice Rapid Response Roster. Shuvai has worked for various regional organisations addressing issues of conflict, violence, reconciliation and gender equality at local, national and regional levels.

Varaidzo Carol Mupunga

Varaidzo holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science (BSc Hons) and a master’s degree in International Relations (MSc IR), both from the University of Zimbabwe. She is an alumni of the Programme for Young Politicians in Africa and the Fredrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and has held various national leadership positions in Zimbabwe’s political landscape, including as a Political Liaison Officer for the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC). Varaidzo has also previously worked for Lusumpuko Trust. She has a keen interest in politics, particularly women in politics.

Dr Majak D’ Agoôt

Majak was appointed Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the African Leadership Centre in 2019. He is a leading practitioner on the Centre's Practice of Leadership programme. He is the former Deputy Chief of the Sudanese Intelligence and South Sudan’s Defence Minister, and has formerly held the role of senior analyst at the Changing Horizon Institute for Strategic Policy Analysis (CHI-SPA). He has published articles in peer review journals and think pieces in media outlets in Africa, the Middle East and the West, covering various policy spheres. Majak holds an MSc in Quantitative Finance and a PhD in Financial Economics from SOAS, University of London. He also holds an MSc in Security Sector Management from Cranfield University and an MA in War Studies from King’s.

Patrick Godi

Patrick is the youth representative of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC). He plays a crucial role in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of peace agreements, demonstrating his commitment to sustainable peace and stability in South Sudan. Patrick has a passion for advocacy, journalism, and youth empowerment and as the Coordinator at AnaTaban, actively contributes to fostering dialogue and social change in South Sudan. He also serves as an Advisor for Common Future Conversations at Chatham House and is a Steering Committee Member of the African Youth Networks Movement where he actively contributes to shaping policies and initiatives that empower young people across the continent. Patrick obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from St. Augustine International University, laying a strong foundation for his diverse professional pursuits.

Dr Alagaw Ababu

Alagaw is a research fellow and head of fellowship at the African Leadership Centre, Nairobi Kenya. Alagaw holds a BA degree in Political Science and International Relations from Addis Ababa University and two MA degrees in Peace and Conflict Studies and Conflict Security and Development (distinction) from Addis Ababa University and King`s College London, respectively. Alagaw is the first ever Joint PhD graduate of the University of Pretoria, South Africa and King`s College London in Leadership and Security Studies.

Alagaw has over ten years of teaching and research experience and has widely published both academic and policy-oriented works. His areas of research and publication traverse leadership and the formation of developmental coalitions, political settlement and peace building conversations in Africa, International Financial Institutions and their engagement on fragile and conflict affected African states, Adhoc security arrangements and peace building in Africa, and localised conflicts and state building in Africa.