Founders
Dr. Olajumoke (Jumo) Ayandele
Co–Founder & Convener, African Wars in the 21st Century Workshop Series
Dr. Olajumoke (Jumo) Ayandele is a scholar and policy practitioner whose work lies at the intersection of African security studies, governance, and human development. Through her research, teaching, and convenings, she pursues a clear mission: rethinking how African-led solutions can address the root causes of conflict and build pathways to sustainable peace.
Holding a Ph.D. in Global Affairs, Dr. Ayandele is widely recognized for her thought leadership on the dynamic relationship between governance, civil-military relations, and human security in fragile and post-conflict states. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and is a member of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Global Research Network. Her work draws on extensive field-based insights and reflects a deep commitment to bridging scholarship and practice.
As co-founder of the African Wars in the 21st Century Workshop Series, she has created a platform that convenes scholars, policymakers, civil society leaders, and regional actors for honest and actionable dialogue on Africa’s evolving security landscape. The series has become a trusted space for examining complex issues such as civil-military relations, post-conflict reconstruction, and the realities facing African states as they navigate fragility and recovery.
Dr. Ayandele’s vision is grounded in the conviction that African states must move beyond externally imposed frameworks and instead champion inclusive, locally informed, and context-sensitive approaches. Her work emphasizes the importance of critical reflection, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration in generating innovative solutions that address people’s lived realities.
Beyond her research and convenings, Dr. Ayandele is a dedicated mentor, committed to cultivating the next generation of African scholars and practitioners. She frequently collaborates with institutions across the continent and around the world, advancing the principle of African agency in global conversations on security and governance.
To learn more about Dr. Ayandele’s broader work, visit olajumokeayandele.com.
Dr. Yvan Yenda Ilunga
Co–Founder & Convener, African Wars in the 21st Century Workshop Series
Dr. Yvan Yenda Ilunga is a scholar-practitioner of international security and peace operations whose work bridges research, policy, and training. With 15+ years of field-informed analysis across Africa, and over two decades studying the Great Lakes Regions of Africa, he advises international organizations, government agencies, and. leading think tanks on governance, protection of civilians (PoC), civil-military interactions, security sector reform, and resource-driven conflict dynamics. He is also a university professor, teaching undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral-level courses and mentoring early-career researchers, with a focus on practice-grounded, policy-relevant scholarship. He leads the design and evaluation of training and policy interventions and frequently briefs senior decision-makers. He is the author of Humanitarianism and Security: Trouble and Hope at the Heart of Africa (Palgrave Macmillan, 2020) and is currently working on two book projects: The Dynamics of Religion in Peacebuilding and Peacekeeping Operations and Designing and Teaching Peace. His recent chapter, “Peace Leadership, Security, and the Role of the Military in Ethnopolitical Conflict,” appears in the Routledge Handbook of Peacebuilding and Ethnic Conflict (2022). He co-founded the African Wars in the 21st Century project and leads policy-relevant studies on the evolution of peacekeeping training, mis/disinformation threats to PoC, and legitimacy in fragile contexts.
Dr. Ilunga has briefed member states of the UN Security Council, provided expert analysis to international media outlets such as the BBC and Voice of America, and delivered invited talks and practitioner training sessions for military and civilian audiences. He has chaired major scholarly award committees (e.g., ACUNS Book Award) and is Deputy Director of the Joint Civil-Military Interaction (JCMI) Research and Education Network.
Consultants
2025
Abysinia Kasu
Abysinia Kasu is a Fulbright Scholar and M.S. Candidate in Global Security, Conflict, and Cyber Crime at New York University, currently serving as a Master’s Thesis Fellow with the Red Cross. She is also a Research Assistant at NYU and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies in Addis Ababa, contributing to cross-regional studies on security and technology policy academic trajectory and research reflect a strong commitment to integrating cyber-security perspectives into broader frameworks of peacebuilding and international conflict resolution.
Damon Hamman
Damon Hamman is a Master of Science candidate in Global Affairs at New York University, specializing in transnational security, human-rights–based research, and conflict analysis. He has served with the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, where he developed AI-driven tools to advance sustainable development monitoring and supported diplomatic engagement with African missions. At the Institute for Peace and Security Studies and NYU, he co-authored policy briefs and research methodologies on inclusive governance, climate security, and post-conflict recovery. His academic and professional work centers on leveraging data, diplomacy, and human security frameworks to inform global policy and peace-building. He completed his undergraduate BCom Economics and international trade degree at the North West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Rebecca Fainberg
Rebecca Fainberg is a humanitarian professional and graduate student at NYU, pursuing a Master’s in Global Affairs with a concentration in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance. She brings over a decade of diverse experience, from leading copyright enforcement and advocacy in the music industry at Sony Music Entertainment to coordinating relief operations, logistics, and community outreach with NGOs in Tel Aviv. Rebecca has participated in post-conflict recovery and climate resilience initiatives, including workshops with the African Union in Addis Ababa and fieldwork in Tanzania. Passionate about peacebuilding, humanitarian aid, and global policy, she is committed to fostering sustainable solutions for vulnerable and displaced communities.