The Illusion of Finality: A Critical Analysis of Elite Bargaining and the Implementation Deficit in South Sudan's Revitalised Peace Agreement

This paper critically examines the persistent implementation deficit of the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). It argues that the agreement, while a landmark document, functions primarily as an elite bargain that entrenches a militarised political economy, thereby creating an illusion of finality while deferring substantive peacebuilding. Through a qualitative analysis of primary documentation, secondary literature, and key informant interviews, the study identifies three core impediments: the conflation of ceasefire with demilitarisation; the institutionalisation of armed patronage networks within the transitional government; and the marginalisation of civil society and sub-national grievances. The discussion contends that these structural flaws perpetuate a condition of 'no war, no peace', undermining the prospects for a legitimate political settlement. The conclusion offers a sober assessment of the limitations of elite pacts in fostering sustainable peace in South Sudan.