In this video, Dr Nisar Majid – Senior Researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Fellow at the Rift Valley Institute (RVI) – shares reflections on the importance of long-term research in often-overlooked cross-border regions.
He discusses the need to go beyond problem-focused narratives by highlighting how people live their everyday lives in these areas. As conversations around borderlands grow, Dr Majid notes the value of this shift in building a more grounded understanding of the region.
Find out more about the work of RVI and XCEPT in shaping new perspectives on borderland areas across the Horn of Africa and beyond.
Enhancing the Role of Borderland Communities in Ethiopia’s Foreign Policy
October 15, 2025
Ethiopia’s borderland communities (BLCs) have historically influenced the country’s relations with its neighbours. These peripheral regions often serve as hubs for cross-border trade, repositories of
