Opinions & Insights

Reflecting on the inaugural Sustainable Blue Economy conference, Dr. Sarah Glaser discusses 3 reasons Somalia’s fisheries should make us optimistic for its blue economy.

Whether it’s running businesses or participating directly in support of war efforts, in conflict-affected environments the disruption to social and normative systems caused by the conflicts means that opportunities for women and girls can expand.

New leadership has brought a renewed effort to resolve the military dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea and may help promote an end to Ethiopia’s domestic insurgencies. Could these positive developments also influence violent state repression in Ethiopia as it continues toward democratic reform?

Women’s participation has been recognized as fundamental for both the full realization of human rights and the possibility of sustainable peace. Yet women’s presence in politics remains low. What can be done to embolden the female youth of today to strive for equality?

African leaders have intensified their efforts to speak out about the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their multifaceted effects across Africa.

What do drones have to do with fish production? Secure Fisheries’ Paige Roberts discusses her recent trip to Lake Victoria, using drones to map aquaculture.

African Actors have been instrumental in moving international institutions away from more orthodox notions of peacekeeping towards more proactive, models of peacekeeping which are explicitly focused on civilian protection.

New Research suggests Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's election, and his rise to power through the dominant Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) party, could offer a potential for cessation of prolonged insurgencies.

Post apartheid South Africans, through the adaptation of reconciliation processes to meet African norms, found an approach which emphasized forgiveness for the sake of peace.

As the civil war in South Sudan enters its fifth year, the international community continues to struggle to establish a negotiated settlement to end the conflict.

Somali businesswomen fill important roles along the fisheries value chain. In this blog we hear about and from three different Somali female entrepreneurs.

Is the world becoming more peaceful? Recent decades have clearly been more peaceful than average. A number of people argue that this peaceful period is more than a temporary phenomenon and actually represents a consistent decline in war over the past two centuries. If so, we could reasonably expect ...

The world is benefiting from the logic of African actors who are shaping contemporary norms in international security.

Elections can serve a catalyst for coups and other forms of political violence. Take a look at OEF Research’s CoupCast for continued, in-depth analysis of the drivers of coup risk around the world.

The tiny silver dagaa is now the most caught fish in Lake Victoria. Our Sarah Glaser traveled around Lake Victoria to learn more about this little fish with a big profile.

In creating an international day for victims of terrorism, the UN emphasizes “the important role of victims in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism.” But what if its emphasis on the word victim deepens conflict and makes peace less likely? The focus should be on agency and empowerme...