An Investigation On The Effectiveness Of Igads Communication Messages In Mediating The South Sudan Conflict Parties

The study investigates the effectiveness of the communication messages imparted by IGAD tornimpact the conflict parties’ behaviour during the mediation process of the South Sudanrnconflict that broke out on December 15, 2013. Since, the mediation process has ended onrnAugust 17, 2015 and transformed to the implementation phase, the study culled the messagesrnIGAD conveyed within the last six months of the mediation process, March, 1, 2015 – August,rn30, 2015, in its press releases, newsletters and brochure to be analyzed. The study used socialrncognitive theory and elaboration likelihood model as the principal frames to investigate howrnthe regional institution designed its messages to have influence on the behaviour of thernconflict parties. Employing qualitative content analysis, the study examined what types ofrncommunication messages the regional institution imparted and the nature of the persuasiverntechniques IGAD’s communication used to enhance its messages effectiveness. The analysisrnfound out that in its different types of messages IGAD described somewhat the desiredrnbehaviours and provide encouragement and encomium to the attuned behaviours of thernconflict parties in the mediation process adequately and repetitively to motivate and enhancernthe self-efficacy of the conflict parties. Moreover, the study revealed that IGAD usedrnattractive messages that acclaim its efficiency and proficiency as an institution to enhance itsrncredibility and trustworthiness to engross the conflict parties’ in consuming its themes. Thernstudy also disclosed that the communication messages IGAD conveyed were inadequate inrnproviding information about the situation of the conflict and the challenges the mediationrnprocess encountered from the conflict parties. Since, informing the conflict parties about thernrisk and benefits of their behaviour would make them exert an effort to change theirrnbehaviour. Moreover, it is argued principally in this study that the effectiveness of therncommunication messages in expediting the mediation is limited by the inadequacy andrnfeebleness of the messages contents. Finally, the study makes some suggestions what therncommunication messages should subsume in their design to have a cogent impact on conflictrnparties’ behaviour to expedite IGAD’s mediation processes.

Get Full Work

Report copyright infringement or plagiarism