A selection of Elsa Buchanan’s reporting, photo essays and communications work, drawn from field assignments and collaborations across the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Covering conflict, human rights and humanitarian issues, the work combines on-the-ground reporting with specialist analysis.
Human Impact
Stories exploring how conflict shapes daily life, from displacement and education to livelihoods, environment, and long-term recovery.
Conflict & Security
Reporting on frontlines, weapons, and military dynamics, examining how conflict is fought and sustained in complex environments.
Accountability & Rights
Investigations and reporting examining violations, legal accountability, and the human rights dimensions of conflict and crisis.
Health & Humanitarian
Reporting on healthcare, humanitarian response, and the long-term impact of conflict on communities, from emergency care to recovery and resilience.
Life after trauma: Giving survivors a new breath of life in Kakuma refugee camp's massage centres
In Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, survivors of conflict, displacement and trauma are finding support through an unconventional form of psychosocial care. Through interviews with refugees and aid workers, this report explores how community-led massage centres are helping people cope with the physical and emotional scars of violence, offering a sense of dignity, recovery and human connection in one of the world's largest refugee settlements.
DRC: Civilians arrested 'simply for wearing red clothes' as Congolese speak of frustration
Drawing on interviews with Congolese citizens and civil-society actors, this report explores how the country's political crisis affected everyday life beyond protests and election disputes. The piece documents allegations of arbitrary arrests, intimidation and restrictions on political expression, illustrating how growing tensions between the government and opposition were increasingly felt by ordinary people.
DRC's powerful Catholic church sides with Congolese people who want political change
Exclusive reporting on the Democratic Republic of Congo's political crisis, examining the increasingly influential role of the Catholic Church as it sided with citizens calling for democratic change and respect for constitutional term limits. Drawing on interviews with church representatives, analysts and civil-society actors, the report explores how religious leaders emerged as key voices in efforts to prevent further instability and facilitate a peaceful political transition amid mounting tensions over delayed elections.
DRC: Violence can only be avoided if President Kabila is given an 'exit strategy'
As political tensions escalated in the Democratic Republic of Congo over delayed elections and President Joseph Kabila's continued hold on power, this analysis explored the risks of renewed violence and the options available to avert a wider crisis. Drawing on expert interviews and regional analysis, the report examines why many observers believed a credible political transition and negotiated exit strategy would be essential to preserving stability in one of Africa's most strategically important states.
Meet MacDella Cooper, the former refugee running to be Liberia's next female president
Forced to flee Liberia's civil war as a teenager, MacDella Cooper spent years as a refugee before rebuilding her life in the United States. In this exclusive interview, she reflects on survival, exile and her bid to become Liberia's first female presidential candidate, arguing that the country's future depends on opportunities for a new generation.
DRC: 12 LUCHA pro-democracy activists arrested in front on the African Union HQ in Kinshasa
Drawing on direct contact with members of the Congolese pro-democracy movement LUCHA, this exclusive report covered the arrest of 12 activists outside the African Union headquarters in Kinshasa. The piece examines growing restrictions on civic space and political dissent in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a period of heightened tensions over delayed elections, highlighting the role of youth-led movements in demanding democratic accountability and constitutional governance.
Fadumo Dayib: Somalia's first female presidential candidate urges talks with al-Shabab
In an exclusive interview, Somalia's first female presidential candidate, Fadumo Dayib, argued that lasting peace cannot be achieved through military force alone. Drawing on her experience as a refugee, human rights advocate and public health expert, she outlined a vision for democratic reform, women's empowerment and dialogue with al-Shabaab to end decades of conflict.
Negotiations between Frelimo and Renamo suspended as Mozambique war escalates
As peace talks between Mozambique's government and Renamo rebels broke down, this report examined the implications of stalled negotiations amid rising violence. With clashes increasing and trust between the parties deteriorating, the article explored whether the country was moving closer to a wider conflict and what the failure of mediation efforts could mean for regional stability.
DRC: Moise Katumbi adviser warns of 'confrontations' as leader threatened with arrest if he returns
Based on exclusive interviews with senior advisers to opposition leader Moïse Katumbi, this report explores the mounting political tensions surrounding his anticipated return to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The piece examines how the government's response to opposition mobilisation could affect the country's fragile stability, highlighting the broader risks of unrest, repression and contested political transition amid an increasingly volatile electoral crisis.
Kenya refugee repatriation to Somalia may see many join al-Shabaab or face sexual abuse
Reporting from Kenya's Kakuma refugee camp, this exclusive story examines the fears surrounding the planned repatriation of Somali refugees. Through first-hand testimonies, refugees warned that returning to Somalia could expose them to insecurity, forced recruitment by al-Shabaab, sexual violence and a lack of basic services, highlighting the human consequences of regional refugee policies.
Dozens tortured, disappeared and killed in counterterrorism operations abuses in Northeastern Kenya
Drawing on testimonies from victims, families and human rights organisations, this report investigates allegations of torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings linked to counterterrorism operations in northeastern Kenya. The investigation examines the human cost of security policies and growing concerns over accountability in the region.
DRC: Why is Moise Katumbi's presidential election candidacy so important?
This report explores the rise of opposition leader Moïse Katumbi as a key figure in the Democratic Republic of Congo's electoral crisis. Drawing on political analysis and expert commentary, the piece examines why Katumbi was viewed as a credible challenger to President Joseph Kabila, and how his candidacy shaped discussions around democratic governance, political reform and the risk of instability during a critical period in the country's history.
Burundi's invisible victims: Internally displaced civilians are going hungry
Drawing on interviews with internally displaced civilians in Burundi alongside warnings from humanitarian organisations, this piece examines a largely overlooked crisis, where food insecurity, limited aid, and prolonged displacement have left families struggling to survive.
Mozambique: Renamo and Frelimo accused of targeting civilians in tat-for-tat violence
As violence escalated between Mozambique's ruling Frelimo party and Renamo rebels, this report examined allegations that civilians were increasingly caught in the crossfire. Through testimony from affected communities and regional observers, the article explored claims of abuses by both sides and the growing human cost of a conflict that threatened to spiral beyond political and military confrontation.
Congo-Brazzaville: Why is yet another African state descending into chaos?
As political tensions escalated in the Republic of Congo, this analysis examined the factors driving renewed instability in a country often overshadowed by crises elsewhere in the region. The article explored disputed elections, armed violence in the Pool region and growing fears that political confrontation could trigger a wider security crisis.
Burundi: Families officially request UN and ICC investigate crimes against humanity
As Burundi's political crisis deepened in 2016, families of victims and human-rights organisations sought international accountability for alleged abuses committed during the unrest surrounding President Pierre Nkurunziza's controversial third-term bid. Reporting from London and speaking to affected families, this piece examines calls for investigations into alleged crimes against humanity, the search for justice by survivors and relatives, and the growing international concern over violence, disappearances and political repression in Burundi.
Mozambique: Will Renamo take over provinces amid rising violence and mediator presence?
Published just weeks after warnings of renewed conflict, this report examined whether Mozambique was edging closer to a political and military showdown between the government and Renamo. As violence increased and international mediation efforts intensified, the article explored Renamo's demands for greater regional control, the prospects for negotiations and the growing risk of instability across the country.
UN Peacekeeping: Allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse – a 20 year history of shame
This report examines two decades of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse linked to United Nations peacekeeping missions, exploring the systemic challenges that have hindered accountability and justice for survivors. Through expert interviews and analysis, the piece investigates the human-rights implications of misconduct within international peacekeeping operations and the continuing struggle to strengthen oversight and victim protection mechanisms
Mozambique: Towards a new war between the Frelimo government and Renamo rebels?
As tensions escalated between Mozambique's ruling Frelimo government and Renamo rebels, this analysis examined the risk that political disputes could reignite armed conflict decades after the country's civil war ended. The article explored growing violence, stalled negotiations and fears that instability could spread across a country long regarded as a post-conflict success story.
Law and disorder in the DRC: Who is Fred Bauma, Congo's jailed Mahatma Gandhi?
An exclusive interview from prison with Congolese democracy activist Fred Bauma, who had spent nearly a year behind bars on what supporters described as politically motivated charges. The profile traces his journey from a young activist in eastern Congo to one of the country's most prominent advocates for peaceful democratic change.