Institute for African Development
N’Dri Thérèse Assié-Lumumba
Professor, African and African Diaspora
Additional Information
Program
Role
- Faculty
- IAD Core Faculty
- IAD Advisory Council
Contact
Email: n.assie-lumumba@cornell.edu
Phone: 607-255-7839
Rising Up at Night (Tongo Saa)
April 13, 2026
6:00 pm
Cornell Cinema
Darkness falls over Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and its 17 million inhabitants. It is just before Christmas and people are struggling to gain access to electric light. Kudi is mobilising the residents of his Kisenso neighbourhood to collect money for a new power cable. On Mount Mangengenge, a holy place overlooking the city, Pastor Gédéon delivers a sermon about the light of Christ as the path to life and truth. Davido is searching for a place to stay after his house was flooded by the Congo River. Together with other young men, he kills time by working out and dreams of a better future.
Rising Up at Night (Tongo Saa) is a sensitive portrait of the residents of Kinshasa as they face the challenges of life in an environment plagued by violence and colored by the uncertainty of tomorrow.
Free admission! Sponsored by the Institute for African Development in the Einaudi Center for International Studies.
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Institute for African Development
Iran War's Energy, Fertilizer Shocks Threaten Food Prices
Christopher Barrett, IAD/SEAP
Christopher Barrett, a Cornell University agricultural economist, offers analysis on how the Iran war's energy and fertilizer disruptions will raise food prices and threaten global food security.
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Einaudi Spring Showcase
April 20, 2026
4:30 pm
Statler Hotel, Amphitheater and Room E/F
Come and explore international research from students and researchers at the Einaudi Center for International Studies. Our undergraduate Global Scholars will present posters on their international aid projects and our Global Research Fellows will give speed talks on interdisciplinary research.
Global Research Speed Talks
Global Research Fellows will present three-minute speed talks on their interdisciplinary and international research.
Fellows are advanced graduate students, Cornell postdocs, and visiting and local scholars. They network with a diverse group of colleagues and work together to grapple with pressing global challenges. Applications for the next cohort will open in fall 2026.
Global Scholars Showcase
Global Scholars will present a showcase of their capstone projects providing public commentary and perspectives on international aid.
Undergraduate global scholars advocate for building democracy on campus and around the world. They have partnered with Einaudi Center practitioner in residence Paul Kaiser and faculty mentor Ed Mabaya—expert researchers and practitioners on international development—to design their projects. Applications for the next cohort will open in fall 2026.
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The Einaudi Spring Showcase is hosted by the Einaudi Center for International Studies.
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies
East Asia Program
Southeast Asia Program
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Institute for African Development
Institute for European Studies
South Asia Program
Migrations Program
Southwest Asia and North Africa Program
Iran War: Wheat Prices Jump as US Weather Raises Inflation Fears
Chris Barrett, IAD/SEAP
“It’s unclear whether the added costs of fuel and fertilizer will outpace the higher prices crops fetch,” said Chris Barrett, professor of public policy and economics.
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Global Food Price Shock Looms. Who Will Be Hit?
Chris Barrett, IAD/SEAP
Chris Barrett, a Cornell University agricultural economist, comments on the potential impact of Strait of Hormuz shipping disruptions on global food prices.
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IAD Graduate Student Lightning Talks
The IAD Graduate Student Lightning Talks (GSLT) are designed to showcase the diverse research, field experiences, and scholarship of Cornell graduate students with a research focus on African development. In the fast-paced format, each participant delivers a 10-minute presentation highlighting their current projects, research findings, or fieldwork experiences. The event creates an opportunity for students to share their work with the broader community while fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on issues related to African development and global engagement. The program is planned to launch in Fall 2026 and aims to become a recurring platform for scholarly exchange within the institute.
The forum provides a supportive environment for students to present their ideas, receive feedback, and engage with faculty, peers, and practitioners interested in African development. Students at any stage of their research are encouraged to share their work and contribute to this collaborative academic exchange.
For more information about the IAD Graduate Student Lightning Talks or participation details, please contact IAD@cornell.edu.
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IAD Community Grant Supports Research on Community Fisheries in Namibia’s Zambezi Region
Cornell PhD candidate Aalayna R. Green community project on “Care, Instead of Violence: Building Capacity & Countering Violence with Communal Fisheries in the Zambezi,” explores how community-managed fisheries could help strengthen local livelihoods along the Chobe River, where fishing plays a central role in daily life. For many households in the region, fishing provides both income and an important source of food. The project was funded by the Institute for African Development (IAD) Africa Community Grant.
At the same time, the river is also an international boundary between Namibia and Botswana. In some areas, fishermen from local Namibian communities have encountered difficulties while fishing near the border, including interactions with the Botswana Defense Force (BDF), which patrols parts of the river. These encounters have occasionally led to tensions that affect fishing activities and the security of local livelihoods.
Green’s research examines whether communal fisheries could offer a more stable framework for managing fishing access while supporting both community needs and sustainable resource use. The project places particular emphasis on approaches that are grounded in local knowledge and community participation.
One part of the work involves mapping fishing activity along the Chobe River. This mapping will help identify areas where fishing commonly takes place and locations that might support community-managed fishing points. It will also help clarify how communities currently use and depend on the river.
The project will also organize workshops and discussions with community members, village leadership, and regional stakeholders from both Namibia and Botswana. These gatherings are intended to share knowledge about fisheries management while opening space for dialogue about community experiences and potential cooperative solutions.
By focusing on community engagement and local capacity-building, the project aims to support fishing communities in the region while encouraging more collaborative approaches to managing shared natural resources.
Green is a PhD candidate at Cornell University, affiliated with the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) and the Department of Feminist, Gender & Sexuality Studies (College of Arts & Sciences). Her research examines the connections between conservation, livelihoods, and social justice.
The IAD Community Grant program supports Cornell students conducting research and community-engaged work across Africa. Projects like this highlight how locally grounded approaches can contribute to both sustainable resource management and community well-being.
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International Fair
August 26, 2026
11:00 am
Uris Hall, Terrace
International Fair showcases Cornell's global opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Explore the fair and find out about international majors and minors, language study, study abroad, funding opportunities, global internships, Cornell Global Hubs, and more.
The International Fair is sponsored by the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies and Office of Global Learning (both part of Global Cornell) in partnership with the Language Resource Center.
Register on CampusGroups to receive a reminder. Registration is not required.
Additional Information
Program
Einaudi Center for International Studies
Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies
East Asia Program
Southeast Asia Program
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Institute for African Development
Institute for European Studies
South Asia Program
Migrations Program
Southwest Asia and North Africa Program