Alumni from The University of Manchester go onto amazing achievements and we are proud to learn of the continued involvement of Masters alumnus Rajab Mohandis who has been supporting the representation of civil society in the South Sudan peace talks.

Following Africa’s longest-running civil war, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Unfortunately independence did not bring an end to the conflict in South Sudan and civil war broke out in 2013 following a clash between the President and his former Vice-President. A power-sharing agreement was signed between the warring parties in 2018 hoping to bring the five-year civil war to an end. Alumni Rajab Mohandis is a South Sudanese academic who is using his skills and experience to contribute to a peaceful future for this new nation.

Rajab had been working in the Sudanese civil society sector when South Sudan gained independence and felt it was important to develop his knowledge in governance, so he could better contribute to the development of his new nation. He chose to undertake postgraduate study with a masters course at the Global Development Institute.

With knowledge from his studies to accompany his in-country experience, Rajab said it was key to get the country’s non-governmental organisations to review and monitor Sudan’s Text of Declaration of Independence to ensure it is honestly implemented.

He now works as the Executive Director a civil society group aiming for a peaceful, democratic and prosperous South Sudan.