Speaker(s): Khalif Abdirahman, Mazen Gharibah, Dr Nisar Majid, Dr Rim Turkmani, Professor Alex de Waal | Populations and institutions in Syria and Somalia have been subject to conflict and political turmoil for many years and now face the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic. This event draws on analysis from LSE's Conflict Research Programme (CRP) and its researchers and partners involved in these settings. Khalif Abdirahman is Senior Field Researcher on LSEs - Conflict Research Programme - Somalia. He has conducted research across the Somali regions for the last seven years including for Tufts University, the Rift Valley Institute and the Overseas Development Institute. Mazen Gharibah is the Research Manager at the Governance and Development Research Centre in Beirut, Lebanon, which partners with the CRP-Syria Team. Nisar Majid is Research Director for CRP in Somalia. Rim Turkmani (@Rim_Turkmani) is a Senior Research Fellow in the LSE CCS Unit and the Research Director for CRP work in Syria. Alex de Waal is Director of the World Peace Foundation and Programme Research Director of the CRP. He also contributes to CPAID research at the Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa. He is an expert on Sudan, South Sudan and the Horn of Africa with particular reference to humanitarian crisis and response, conflict, mediation and peacebuilding. He has served with the African Union mediation team on Darfur and as an advisor to the African Union High Level Implementation Panel for Sudan. Jessica Watkins (@jesterwatkins) is Research Officer at the Middle East Centre and works on the CRP. Conflict and Civil Society Research Unit (@LSE_CCS) - Understanding conflict and violence in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Bridging the gap between citizens and policymakers. Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSECOVID19