 After years of civil war, South Sudan is now undergoing a political transition, steering the country towards a brighter, more peaceful future. The 2018 peace agreement aims to bring peace, democracy and economic growth to the country. But how? A key hope is that federalism will be a cornerstone for achieving this long-term peace. Federalism has long been part of South Sudan's historical and political debates, reflecting the political desires of the South Sudanese people. They long for local communities to be given political powers to address their wants and needs. Under federalism, these powers can't be easily taken away by the central government. But federalism is often confused with Kokora, a political arrangement which was enacted in the 1980s. While initially conceived to encourage self-governance, Kokora was later weaponized by the government at the time to divide and weaken the South Sudanese liberation movement by creating regional divisions. Kokora also restricted groups to their own regional territories. As a result, South Sudanese people were divided rather than united. Kokora aimed to separate regions from each other, meaning that their inhabitants were sometimes forced out of their homes and compelled to only live and work in their region of origin. Federalism, however, is not Kokora. Whereas Kokora was a means of division, federalism is an agreement among diverse communities to live together, not apart, in one country. Federalism aims to build unity through diversity. Under federalism, people will be allowed to move, work, and enjoy public services in any state, regardless of where they come from. Federalism is a way for communities who have some things in common, but also significant differences to live together peacefully within the same country. They do this by sharing political power, responsibilities, and resources. This involves two or more levels of government. The national government is responsible for the common things that affect the entire country, like foreign affairs, national defence, and general economic policy. As well as having a national government and legislature, federations also have state governments and legislatures. They are responsible for things of specific importance to communities living in those states. This reinforces the strength of local communities while maintaining national unity. States are usually in charge of regional issues like education or cultural affairs. Local transport and primary healthcare might also be governed at the state level. Federations have different numbers of states, and these can even change over time. What's more important than the number of states, though, is that each state has the powers it needs to deliver public goods and services to its people. Also, the states themselves send representatives to participate in national decision-making. This sharing of powers between the central government and individual states is protected by a written constitution. The federal elements of the constitution can't be changed without consent from the states. Three of Africa's biggest countries can be considered federal. These are Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Somalia and Sudan are also pursuing similar goals. In fact, over 40% of the world's population live in federal countries. Federalism is often chosen by large countries, like Canada or the United States. All countries with diverse communities concentrated in different parts of that country, like Switzerland or Nepal. Federalism is also often used as a means to manage diversity. Avoid a political system where power is in the hands of one person alone and prevent the concentration of power in a single person, institution or government, therefore enabling checks and balances. Federalism seeks to keep the country together by carefully balancing the powers of the national government and the state governments. Although different communities might have significant differences, overall their benefit from remaining in, not leaving the country. So far, no state in a federal democratic country has ever seceded. Also, when state governments do try to break constitutional rules, the constitution often gives the central government the power to stop this from happening. In every federation, some states have more natural resources than others. But there's always a system for distributing these resources fairly among all states. This ensures all parts of the country have a minimum standard of development. The states where the resources originate from are often compensated for sharing them with the rest of the country. Federalism is a popular South Sudanese demand. It will be one of the building blocks of a peaceful and prosperous nation. But it isn't in itself an answer to all South Sudan's problems. It's important to be realistic and practical about what federalism can and can't help to achieve. Also, federalism can lead to problems if there isn't good coordination. Different governments in a federation are like players in a football team. They all have different roles, but they must also all work together to win the game. In federations, different governments have different responsibilities, but they must coordinate between themselves to achieve their goals. Also, like a referee in a football game, in federations, there should be an independent judiciary who will resolve disputes when they arise. In federal systems, the powers and responsibilities of the different levels of government are protected by a constitution, which prevents the federal agreement from being easily changed. The Presidency, Cabinet and leaders of South Sudan have committed to creating a federal constitution for the nation. This is an important foundation for a better country, and it's just one part of broader efforts to build a peaceful, united, democratic and prosperous South Sudan.