Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 07/2011

Sudan's Aspirational Army: A History of the Joint Integrated Units

Aly Verjee

May 2011

Centre for International Governance Innovation

Abstract

One of the consequences of Southern Sudan’s vote for secession in January 2011 is the disbanding of the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), a joint force formed as part of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended the civil war between the north and south. The JIUs, although considered dysfunctional and a risk to north-south stability, continue to play a part in maintaining security in Sudan, given their ongoing responsibilities in unstable border areas. This paper, the second in a series on current security sector reform (SSR) issues, examines the troubled history of the JIUs and makes recommendations for those involved in the redeployment of the units.