South Sudanese refugees look on as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees visits the Nyumanzi transit centre in Adjumani, north of the capital Kampala, on Aug. 29, 2016. Photo credit: Isaac Kasamani/Getty Images

A new opinion survey has revealed a sharp decline in public trust in the peace process with the majority of respondents saying the country is not at peace.

The public perceptions survey conducted by research group Detcro Research and Advisory shows, says most respondents believe the country was not at peace in 2025.

According to the survey, one-third of respondents belived the country was not at peace in 2024.

The survey also revealed that majority of the respondents this year have negative views about the peace process.

“…last year, two-thirds of the South Sudanese saying the country is at peace, we are now in less than half people saying the same this year, which is, in also in comparison with the six years we’ve done this now, unprecedented decline,” said Dr. Jan Pospíšil, one of the lead researchers behind the study.

The survey, however, noted a strong regional disparity in levels of trust and confidence in the transitional government.

In greater Bahr el Ghazal region, the survey says more than 70 percents of respondents feel more trust in the transitional government compared to Upper Nile and Equatoria regions.

Christopher Oringa, political analyst and Lecturer at the University of Juba, said the finding recommends for the incorporation of community views in the peace and elections process across the country

“So, we will actually from the survey, we will recommend that population citizen voices should be incorporated into this process so that we can see sustainable peace and with sustainable peace we will see sustainable development coming into the country,” he said.

According to the researchers, the survey captureded the views of 4,582 people from 15 locations across ten states and the Greater Pibor Administrative Area over a period of six years.

The survey data also showed some parts of Greater Bahr el Ghazal feeling relatively secure, meanwhile, Juba IDPs camp, Yambio, Upper-Nile showed a worrying dropped in the sense of safety.