The Cluster of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Interdisciplinary Peace Research has successfully conducted the first installment of its Nurturing Capacities for Interdisciplinary Research and Impact (NCIRI) Seminar Series. This first installment was titled, “Infrastructure and peacebuilding: examining the implications of mine clearance in Angola and Somaliland”, and was held on Monday 22nd July 2024, starting from 13:00 East Africa Time.
The presentation and discussions of the seminar focused on research (and research impact) in relation to mine clearance, peacebuilding and development in Angola and Somaliland. The speakers for the session were Dr. Eka Ikpe, PhD, African Leadership Centre, King’s College London and Dr Sarah Njeri, SOAS University of London and featured Dr. Esther Thontteh, PhD, University of Lagos as a discussant. The chairperson for the session was Dr. Clement Sefa-Nyarko, PhD, African Leadership Centre, King’s College London.
The first presentation by Dr. Ikpe was an analysis of the interactions between Anti-vehicle Mines (AVM) clearance and longer-term peacebuilding and development in relation to agricultural, conservation, trade, and infrastructural development priorities in the provinces of Cuando Cubango and Huambo in Angola. The analysis of qualitative primary data demonstrated how clearance addresses Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and infrastructure priorities towards economic and physical reconstruction outcomes. The second presentation by Dr. Njeri discussed the impact and engagement work that has accompanied the analysis of Mine Clearance and longer-term peacebuilding and development in Somaliland in relation to the work of practitioners as well as policy actors within Somaliland and globally.
This NCIRI Seminar Series, which is anchored on themes related to peace, conflict, environment, technology, inequalities and identities, is a platform dedicated to research, policy and PhD and early-career researchers training interventions from members of the CoRE in Interdisciplinary Peace Research. The series focuses on presenting contributions that are interdisciplinary, intergenerational and attentive to policy, practice and academic exchanges. The seminar is held online every quarter and typically runs for 1 to 1.5 hours. Panelists include a chair, 1 to 2 speakers and a discussant. Where feasible, panels comprise of established and early-career researchers (scholars and practitioners) from different institutions and disciplinary orientations.
The aforementioned presentations were reflections on the following published research.
