South Sudan: The Chiefs Speak
Decades of war in South Sudan have had a damaging effect on the position of chiefs and other traditional leaders. But their influence remains strong. Today they confront a crisis in communal life: an increase in violent conflict within and between ethnic groups, the collapse of the national judicial system, the uncontrolled spread of firearms […]
Stabilization, Extraversion and Political Settlements in Somalia
On Tuesday 10 May 2016, the Rift Valley Forum together with the Political Settlements Research Programme (PRSP), hosted the launch of a report by Tobias Hagmann on Stabilization in Somalia. DOWNLOAD REPORT This report highlights the role of external aid in dysfunctional state building efforts in Somalia. Rather than assuming that foreign actors are outside […]
Violent Extremism: Risk and resilience in Kenya
In October 2011, the Kenyan government sent troops to Somalia under Operation ‘Linda Nchi‘ (Protect the Country). Aiming to create a security buffer zone, the intervention followed armed attacks and the abduction of foreign nationals in Kenya. However, the country continues to face the threat of armed attacks by extremist groups, particularly in Kenya’s northeast […]
Violent Extremism and Community Resilience
The emergence of the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) agenda reflects a recognition in policy circles that conventional security-based measures to counter terrorism have failed and, in some cases, has fueled greater marginalization and violence. With an emphasis on prevention, the CVE approach seeks to tackle the root causes of extremist violence by engaging with communities, with […]
Communicating in Troubled Times: A Conversation on Media and Democracy ahead of the 2017 Elections
The way media interacts with political and civil society actors frames critical moments in the political history of a country, such as contested elections or controversial electoral campaigns. In the wake of Kenya’s 2007 elections and the ensuing crisis, society blamed mainstream media outlets for feeding the violence. A journalist, Joshua Arap Sang, was indicted […]
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 […]