EXILE DIPLOMACY IN SOUTH SUDAN’S FOREIGN POLICY
Abstract
Since 2013, South Sudan has been grappling to contain the political crisis that continues to threaten its existence. Citizens have seen the horrors of war and are enduring lifetime experiences that make them regret the cause of their liberation struggle. The conflict has tainted the country’s image, obscured political direction, created a crack in foreign policy, and shattered hopes and optimism for peace and development. The most prominent political formations have exhibited a high trust deficit, making the country a space for experimentation in peace-building and post-war reconstruction strategies. As a result, many actors outside the State’s authority have claimed responsibility for appointing and assigning diplomats abroad. In modern literature, foreign policy is defined as a strategy of statecraft that guides external relations between states and entities. States are the primary actors in international relations. However, several non-state actors have emerged, particularly after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. These actors are shaping international relations by influencing the decisions and actions of states and entities. They include international organizations, civil society organizations, media organizations, academia, multinational corporations, rebel movements, non-armed opposition groups, and secessionist organizations. The rebel movements, non-armed opposition groups, and secessionist organizations have deployed diplomats to foreign capitals to counter the activities of diplomats from their countries. Their diplomats live in exile and are referred to as “exiled diplomats.” They comprise former state officials, military officers, and people living in the diaspora who are dissatisfied with the systems of governance in their home countries. States have expanded counter diplomacy to include countering the activities of exiled diplomats. Exile diplomacy is a form of counter diplomacy used by non-state actors, particularly agents of rebel movements, non-armed opposition groups, and secessionist organizations, to influence international decisions and actions to force regime change and fundamental reforms in their home countries or to achieve secession or independence. This study explores the influence of exiled diplomacy in South Sudan’s foreign policy. Thematic areas include the philosophy of exile diplomacy, the influence of exile diplomacy in the consolidation of peace, and exile diplomacy in economic cooperation. It argues that non-state actors such as rebel movements, non-armed opposition groups, and secessionist organizations are parallel centers of power in foreign policy. In South Sudan, the influence of exile diplomacy has limited the government’s ability to finance the war or maintain the status quo. South Sudan’s government, on its part, has used counter diplomacy as a strategic approach to curtail the opposition’s ability to force regime change or achieve outright military victory on the battlefield. It further argues that exile diplomacy in intrastate conflict invites external interest that constrains all parties from controlling the outcomes.
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