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…
RVI publishes books, research reports, research papers, briefings and meeting reports in a range of formats. Publications cover policy, research, arts, culture and local knowledge in the countries of eastern and central Africa. Research publications—books, reports and papers—are peer-reviewed. Some RVI publications are also available in French and/or Arabic.
The RVI is a signatory of the Budapest Open Access Initiative (2001); all publications are free for download in PDF format under Creative Commons licences. The views expressed in books and reports published by the RVI are those of the authors, not the Institute.
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Since the Second Congo War (1998–2003), the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Congolese civil society have attempted, with the support of international partners, to tackle consecutive cycles of armed mobilization. Amidst other peace efforts,…
La stabilisation est devenue un mot à la mode dans le contexte du maintien de la paix, constituant le principal objectif déclaré des missions de l’ONU déployées dans des contextes aussi divers que ceux de Haïti, de la République…
<p>Stabilization has become a buzzword in peacekeeping, with UN missions in such diverse environments as Haiti, the Central African Republic, and Mali all claiming it as their central goal. Few of these missions, however, seem to have a clear…

- By Judith Verweijen, Claude Iguma Wakenge
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Après la défaite militaire de la rébellion du M23 en novembre 2013, la mobilisation armée s’est poursuivie à un rythme effréné dans l’est de la République démocratique du Congo. Malgré un fort retentissement, une première série de redditions n’a…
After the military defeat of the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23, March 23 Movement) rebellion in November 2013, armed mobilization in the eastern DRC has continued at a frightening pace. An initial, much-advertized wave of surrenders did not persist,…
The DRC has a bad reputation when it comes to gender equality and respect for women’s rights. Until now, the donor community and international media have mostly been focusing on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the eastern part…

- By Jeroen Cuvelier, Marie-Rose Bashwira
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La RDC a mauvaise réputation pour ce qui est de l’égalité de genre et du respect des droits des femmes. A ce jour, les bailleurs de fonds et les médias internationaux se sont focalisés sur les violences sexuelles et…
Land disputes are considered both key sources and perpetuating factors of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Over the years, scholars and practitioners have identified a number of critical land-related factors contributing to violence and…
Pendant la Seconde Guerre du Congo (1998–2003), le gouvernement de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) et la société civile congolaise ont tenté, avec le soutien de partenaires internationaux, de venir à bout des cycles consécutifs de mobilisation armée….
Recent Publications

Minor Demarcations, Micro-Dams—Major Drama? Ethno-territorial expansionism and precarious peace in the Oromia–Somali borderlands of eastern Ethiopia
May 20, 2025
The report highlights the overlapping claims to and distributive struggles over territory and resources in the Oromia-Somali borderlands which animated inter-regional competition between the Oromia Regional State (ORS) and Somali Regional State (SRS), resulted in the brief 2023 uptick in

When Women Sing: How Murle women use arts and cultural mediums to communicate
May 16, 2025
This research explores how Murle women in the Greater Pibor area of central eastern South Sudan use not just songs but dance, hairstyles, body marks and beads to express themselves. Its objective is to draw attention to the ways Murle
Effectiveness of Women in Politics and Improving Gender Equality in South Sudan
May 2, 2025
This report argues that, in order to improve women’s participation in politics and promote gender-responsive policies in the country, there is a need to enlarge government capacity for women’s leadership by introducing equal gender quotas for decision-making positions. Summary Women’s