Community Resilience to Violent Extremism
On 12 August 2016, the Rift Valley Forum hosted the launch of a report by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Community Resilience to Violent Extremism. This new report, based on research conducted in collaboration with Sahan Africa, examines how violent extremism is spread through localized conflicts and how extremist groups manipulate grievances to […]
Chuma Nwokolo in Conversation
‘A Midnight call by an assassin to his prospective victim quickly becomes a game of wits in a telephone thriller impossible to second-guess. On his deathbed, the founding overseer confesses to his wife that his visions were false and their ministry a 30-year hoax. She’s devastated but fate isn’t halfway through with her.’ —Chuma Nwokolo, […]
South Sudan: The Untold Story
In July 2011, South Sudan gained independence and became the world’s newest country. Yet just two-and-a-half years after this momentous decision, the country was in the grips of renewed civil war and political strife. On 8 July 2016, the Rift Valley Institute and the Norwegian Embassy launched South Sudan: The Untold Story from Independence to Civil War, […]
Understanding South Sudan Today
On Tuesday 3 May 2016, the Rift Valley Forum hosted a talk by Peter Biar Ajak on Understanding South Sudan Today. Drawing on his PhD research, his talk examined the history of the SPLM/A to explain the situation in South Sudan today. Currently pursuing a PhD in Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University, Peter […]
Hargeysa International Book Fair 2016
The ninth Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF) was held in the Gulaid Park Hotel Hall on 23 July 2016.The theme of the book fair this year was ‘Leadership’. The theme coincided with the 25 anniversary of the self-declaration of the Somaliland Republic. The opening day of the book fair was greeted with great enthusiasm and […]
Livelihoods in South Sudan
In July 2011, South Sudan gained independence and became the world’s newest country. A few years after the celebrations, the country has experienced renewed conflict and political strife that have claimed countless lives and displaced many. This has had a dramatic impact on livelihoods in South Sudan. On 10 October 2016, the Rift Valley Forum […]
Aid and Authoritarianism in Africa
In 2013, almost half of Africa’s top aid recipients were ruled by authoritarian regimes. Many international donors such as USAID, DFID, the World Bank and the European Commission have had their policies entangled with the agendas of the ruling elites. Development policies are thus shaped with a view to maintain the status quo, compromising the rights […]
Famine in Somalia: Competing Imperatives, Collective Failures, 2011-12
On Wednesday 19 October 2016, the Rift Valley Forum and the University of Hargeysa’s Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) hosted a public forum to discuss the key findings of the book, Famine in Somalia: Competing Imperatives, Collective Failures, 2011-12. The book, written by Dan Maxwell and Nisar Majid, is based on extensive research […]
RVI Juba Lectures 2016
The fifth Rift Valley Institute Juba Lecture Series took place over the week of 20 June, under the title: What can civil society do? The role of civil society in the political transition. Since 2010, the RVI has organised an annual series of public lectures in Juba. These lectures are designed to promote public discussion of […]
Dadaab: City of Thorns
To charity workers, Dadaab refugee camp is a humanitarian crisis. To the Kenyan government it is an economic burden and a ‘breeding ground for terrorists’. To the Western media, it is a dangerous no-go area. But to its half a million residents seeking sanctuary, it is their last resort. In May, the Kenyan government announced […]