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After decades of fighting, South Sudan won its independence from Sudan in 2011 but within two years, was engulfed in civil war. How did South Sudan slide from the world’s celebrated “newest nation,” full of energy and hope, to yet another failed state? What does the future hold for South Sudan and other fragile countries in the region, especially after the gutting of U.S. foreign assistance?

Patricia Powers Thomson, who has 25 years of international development experience in the military, government, and private sectors and has worked in South Sudan since 2011, will share firsthand experiences and perspectives on the country and its future and set the stage for discussion on whether this region’s stability is critical to U.S. interests. She taught at the University of Juba, where she was founder and currently Dean Emerita of the School of Public Service.