From 15–17 June 2026, the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law convened a three-day civic education programme in Juba, supporting the National Constitutional Review Commission (NCRC) to fulfil its mandate of advancing South Sudan’s permanent constitution-making process. The programme aimed to equip key institutional and civil society actors with the technical legal knowledge necessary for meaningful participation in the following NCRC-led public consultations.
The programme commenced with opening addresses from Dr Victoria Anib Majur, IGAD Head of Mission & Social Development Unit; H.E. Amb. Maj. Gen. (RtD) George Aggrey Owinow, RJMEC Interim Chair; H.E. Amb. Abdiweli Mohammed Ali Gaas, SRCC & Head of Mission, AUMISS; H.E. Pelle Enarsson, Head of the EU Delegation to South Sudan; and Hon. Dr Riang Yer Zuor, Chairperson of the NCRC.
The initial two days engaged key legal and academic institutions, including members of the Judiciary, Public Attorneys, the Bar Association, academia, the Federation of Women Lawyers, and the Female Lawyers’ Association. Sessions focused on the principles of the permanent constitution-making process, the foundations of federalism, systems of government, the allocation of powers, and the structural design and role of the judiciary within a federal framework.
On 17 June, the programme was dedicated to grassroots civil society actors. The sessions covered the foundations of federalism, institutional design options, and the specific role of the judiciary in rights enforcement. By bridging institutional expertise and civil society engagement, the programme established a collaborative foundation for inclusive public consultations led by the NCRC.
The programme was generously funded by the European Union under the project titled ‘Supporting Constitution-Making, Legal Harmonisation and Judicial Reform in South Sudan’.