Another Humanitarian Crisis in Somalia?
In July 2014, humanitarian agencies and the government of Somalia warned of a new severe drought in Somalia, only three years after more than 250,000 people died in a deadly famine. In a report for Tufts University and the Rift Valley Institute, Daniel Maxwell and Nisar Majid examine the lessons arising from the international response […]
Pastoralism and Development in Africa
On 29 April 2013, the Hon. Mohamed Elmi (MP, Tarbaj) presented a paper at thce Nairobi Forum on Lessons from the Ministry of Northern Kenya, reflecting on the work of his former ministry in supporting pastoralism and development in Kenya’s arid and semi arid lands. The former minister was one of several speakers at a […]
Talking Peace in the Ogaden
‘Objective, analytical and balanced.’ IBRAHIM FARAH, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI Summary Talking Peace in the Ogaden outlines the modern history of ethnic Somalis in relation to the Ethiopian state from the late 19th century to the present day, and assesses prospects for a peaceful settlement between the Ethiopian government and the Ogaden National Liberation Front. Written […]
Nuruddin Farah remembers Chinua Achebe
The life of the Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe (1930-2013) was celebrated on 6 May 2014 at Bard College, New York, where Achebe taught for many years. There were spoken tributes from Nigerian author and art historian Teju Cole, from historian Myra Armstead, and from anthropologists Yuka Suzuki and John Ryle. The Somali writer Nuruddin Farah […]
The Supreme Price
On Friday 18 November 2016, the Rift Valley Forum and Human Rights Watch screened the film The Supreme Price, by Joanna Lipper, followed by a discussion. The Supreme Price tells the story of Hafsat Abiola, daughter of the human rights heroine Kudirat Abiola, and Nigeria’s then-President-elect M.K.O. Abiola, who won a historic vote in 1993 that […]
LAPSSET: A Transformative Project or a Pipe Dream?
Key points The LAPSSET project has transformative potential for the neglected north of Kenya and for East African regional integration. A major challenge is safeguarding the environment, and the rights and livelihoods of those whose lands the project will cross. Each element of the project carries a significant economic and social cost. Engagement with communities […]
Silence is a Woman
Despite an increasing global commitment to the principle of equality, women continue to struggle for parity in political, economic and social spheres. This is most apparent in formal political office where the underrepresentation of women remains one of the most visible forms of gender inequality in the world today. In 2010, Kenya adopted a new […]
A safe haven for Somalis in Uganda?
This briefing examines the emergence of the Somali migration route to Uganda and its significance in the long history of Somali migration in East Africa. It discusses the factors underlying the decision-making processes of Somali refugees in relation to cross-border movement. And it asks whether the Somali flows to Uganda are a short-term trend in […]
Hosts and Guests
‘In Somalia, land issues are particularly complex. Those involved in both policy and practice need to understand this complexity better if durable political solutions are to be identified and property rights for individuals and communities secured. Lee Cassanelli explains the complex nature of land use, as well as the concept of ‘home’ in the Somali […]
Kenya and South Sudan: What next for the peace process?
On 15 December 2013, just two-and-a-half years after South Sudan gained independence, renewed fighting broke out in the country that resulted in thousands of deaths and mass displacement. The UN peacekeeping mission UNMISS struggled to contain the fighting. Despite the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (ARCSS) signed […]