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.
