This article develops a novel theoretical framework for understanding the persistent cycles of conflict and fragile peace in South Sudan. It critiques the limitations of prevailing hybrid peace theory, arguing that its application often obscures the complex interplay of local, national, and international forces. The proposed framework integrates insights from political settlement theory, critical political geography, and African political thought to analyse peace as a contested, multi-scalar process. It demonstrates the framework's utility by re-examining key provisions of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), offering new analytical pathways for scholars and practitioners engaged in African peace studies.