Publications

The Institute publishes books, research reports, research papers, briefings and meeting reports in a range of formats. Publications cover policy, research, arts, culture and local knowledge in the countries of eastern and central Africa. Research publications—books, reports and papers—are peer-reviewed. Some RVI publications are also available in French and/or Arabic. Blogs can be read here.

The RVI is a signatory of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (2001); all publications are free for download in PDF format under Creative Commons licences. Print versions of most books and reports, and digital versions in Kindle and other specialist formats, are available for sale from Amazon and other online retailers, and from selected bookstores. Proceeds from sales are allocated to the Institute's Scholarship Fund, which provides support to researchers and activists from eastern and central Africa.

The views expressed in books and reports published by the RVI are those of the authors, not the Institute.

The perils of peacekeeping without politics

Usalama Usalama

Great Lakes

Briefings

The perils of peacekeeping without politics

Emily Paddon

2013

RVI Usalama Project - Briefing Paper 3 - UN peacekeeping in the DRC.pdf

This Usalama Briefing Paper sets out the history of UN involvement in the eastern DRC and analyses the challenges that continue to face the mission, even as it prepares to deploy a new intervention brigade, charged with neutralizing and disarming rebel groups and bolstering Congolese state reform. ‘The UN’s ability to play a constructive role in the Congo,’ Paddon notes, ‘has been constrained…

Usalama Usalama

Great Lakes

Briefings

L'homme fort de l'est de la RDC

Jason Stearns

2013

RVI Projet Usalama - Briefing 2 - Profil Ntaganda.pdf

Ce briefing du Projet Usalama présente un profil de l'un des commandants les plus importants du M23, le général Bosco Ntaganda. Malgré son inculpation par la Cour pénale internationale sur des accusations d’enrôlement et utilisation d’enfants soldats, de meurtre, de viol et d’esclavage sexuel, Ntaganda a toujours encore une audience considérable dans les rangs du M23. Les derniers combats ont…

Usalama Usalama

Great Lakes

Research Reports

L’UPC en Ituri

Henning Tamm

2013

RVI Usalama Project 5 L'UPC en Ituri FR.pdf

Ce rapport Usalama par Henning Tamm étudie la convergence des facteurs qui ont contribué à la formation puis à la dislocation de l’Union des patriotes congolais (UPC), l’un des groupes armés les plus puissants de l’Ituri. Créée dans le contexte de l’occupation ougandaise, qui entraîna une militarisation accrue de la politique, l’UPC constituait une tentative, à l’échelon local, de…

UPC in Ituri: The External Militarization of Local Politics in North-eastern Congo

Usalama Usalama

Great Lakes

Research Reports

UPC in Ituri

Henning Tamm

2013

RVI Usalama Project 5 UPC in Ituri.pdf

This report by Henning Tamm examines the convergence of factors that helped create and then broke apart the Union des patriotes congolais (UPC, Union of Congolese Patriots), one of Ituri’s most powerful armed groups. Created in the context of Ugandan occupation, which led to an increased militarization of politics, the UPC represented a local attempt to regain political and military…

L'Ituri: or, questions foncières et ethnicité dans le nord-est du Congo

Usalama Usalama

Great Lakes

Research Reports

L’Ituri

Dan Fahey

2013

RVI Usalama Project 4 Ituri FR.pdf

Ce rapport par Dan Fahey fournit le contexte historique des années de conflit dans le district de l’Ituri dans le nord-est du Congo. La nature particulièrement violente de la guerre qui sévit en Ituri––massacres à grande échelle, violences sexuelles généralisées et utilisation d’enfants soldats––a conduit l’Union européenne et les Nations Unies à intervenir et incité la Cour pénale…

Ituri: Gold, Land, and Ethnicity in North-eastern Congo

Usalama Usalama

Great Lakes

Research Reports

Ituri

Dan Fahey

2013

RVI Usalama Project 4 Ituri.pdf

This Usalama report by Dan Fahey sets out the background to the years of conflict in Ituri district of the north-eastern DRC. The particularly vicious nature of war in Ituri––including large-scale massacres, widespread sexual violence, and the use of child soldiers––led to interventions by the European Union and United Nations, and prompted the International Criminal Court (ICC) to indict four…

Usalama Usalama

Great Lakes

Briefings

Strongman of the eastern DRC

Jason Stearns

2013

RVI Usalama Project - Briefing - Ntaganda Profile.pdf

About this publication

This Usalama Project Briefing presents a profile of one of the M23’s most important commanders, General Bosco Ntaganda. Despite his indictment by the International Criminal Court on charges of recruiting child soldiers, murder, rape, and sexual slavery, Ntaganda still has a considerable following in M23 ranks. The latest fighting comes in spite of the UN-mediated…

Rift Valley Forum Rift Valley Forum

Horn of Africa

Meeting Reports

Somalia's Jubbaland: Past, present and potential futures

Ndanu Mung'ala

2013

RVI - Nairobi Forum - Somalia's Jubaland Report.pdf

Key points

Due to its natural resources and location, Jubbaland has the potential to be one of Somalia’s richest regions, but conflict has kept it chronically unstable for over two decades.

The regions of Jubbaland are not linked by road and have no history of shared administration. As an administrative unit, Jubbaland is not likely to be functional.

The Somali…

Rift Valley Forum Rift Valley Forum

Horn of Africa

Meeting Reports

Ethiopia after Meles

Natalie Moss

2013

RVI - Nairobi Forum - Ethiopia After Meles Report.pdf

Key points

Meles was instrumental in the political and developmental changes Ethiopia has undergone in the last two decades.

The ruling EPRDF was boosted by the out-pouring of national grief on Meles’ death and Hailemariam Desalegn succeeded him as Prime Minister without controversy.

There have been as yet no discernible shifts in government policy since the death…

Rift Valley Forum Rift Valley Forum

Horn of Africa

Briefings

AMISOM in Transition

Paul Williams

2013

RVI Briefing Paper - AMISOM.pdf

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is in a period of transition. After a year of military successes it needs a new mandate to support the new Federal Government of Somalia, which has identified provision of security across the country as a priority. Both the UN Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council are currently reviewing AMISOM’s mandate. In this…

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