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 […]
Embassy of Ireland in Kenya Forum
On 30 November 2016, the Rift Valley Forum hosted a forum with the Embassy of Ireland in Kenya on regional conflict dynamics in the Horn of Africa and East Africa. Guests included Ireland’s Minister for Diaspora and Overseas Development, Joe McHugh, Ireland Member of Parliament, Maureen O’Sullivan, and the Director General of Irish Aid, Michael Gaffey. […]
Sacred Causes
Key points • Efforts to negotiate peace in South Sudan have been hindered by the lack of a coherent international approach such as the Inter-Congolese Dialogue eventually enjoyed. • IGAD’s assumption of a mediating rather than a facilitating role and the conflicting interests of IGAD member states have rendered it ineffective. • IGAD should support […]
Research and Knowledge Systems in the Somali regions
On 15 and 16 March, the Rift Valley Forum and Oxford-based INASP convened a roundtable discussion on Research and Knowledge Systems within the Somali regions. The purpose of the meeting was to better understand he research and knowledge system in the Somali regions and explore ways of supporting Somali researchers and users of research-generated knowledge. The […]
Closing Dadaab
Key points • A sudden, forced repatriation of Dadaab’s 350,000 Somalis would violate Kenyan and international law, could destabilize Somalia and ultimately undermine Kenyan security. • Although Kenya will not forcibly repatriate Dadaab’s Somali residents, the government’s policy is to work for the camps’ closure and for the return of the residents to Somalia. • […]
Burundi at the Crossroads
Key points • The political crisis in Burundi risks escalating into civil war, with an ethnic dimension. • The response from governments in the region has been muted and equivocal. • Donor countries have cut back aid, which may exacerbate instability. • A new coup that normalized political processes might not be unwelcome, either to […]