Rift Valley Institute

On Friday 15 January 2016, the Rift Valley Forum hosted Gérard Prunier for the Nairobi launch of the book Understanding Contemporary Ethiopia: Monarchy, Revolution and the Legacy of Meles Zenawi, co-edited by Prunier and Éloi Ficquet. This anthology of essays by noted scholars of Ethiopia's culture, history, politics, and society seeks to transcend the clichés of suffering and visions of a past empire that often colour perspectives on the country. This book presents a measured, detailed and systematic analysis of the powerful forces that have rapidly transformed Ethiopia into a regional power. RVI Fellow Gérard Prunier is a historian and author of The Rwanda Crisis: History of a Genocide and of Darfur: The Ambiguous Genocide.