In this episode of Metamorphosis, Hamed Al Ghaithi speaks with Prof. Alex de Waal, a leading expert on war, famine, and the political marketplace shaping Sudan and the Horn of Africa.

The discussion examines how narratives of “failed states” distort the realities on the ground, how elite networks shape governance, why armed groups evolve into market actors, and why peace agreements often fail in Darfur, Sudan, and South Sudan.

Prof. de Waal reflects on what meaningful transformation could look like in a region marked by prolonged conflict—and where hope for a locally rooted peace may emerge.