Experts on countries of origin by country

Dr. Muzong W. Kodi has more than 40 years of research, writing and lecturing on Africa as well as working and residing in several African countries. He has written more than 200 country expert reports for asylum seekers and other migrants from several African countries. He has also provided more than 100 authentication reports for official documents and several reports on nationality and adoption cases. As a consultant, he has been contracted by international organisations, regional African organisations, and multinational companies. He previously held senior management positions in Transparency International, Amnesty, International, and the African Centre for Monetary Studies. I also taught at the University of Nairobi in Kenya and the University of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He holds a PhD in African History from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and speaks fluent French, English, Lingala, and Kikongo, as well as intermediary Swahili.

Occupation: International Consultant in governance, anti-corruption, human rights, as well as political and investment risks in Africa.

Countries of expertise: the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo (ROC or Congo-Brazzaville), Angola, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, Rwanda… Read more

Prof. Kostadinova is a Political Scientist specializing in political institutions in Bulgaria, and at the European Union level. The main focus of her research includes political parties and their rhetoric, government policies, role of media in the political process, and inter-institutional relations within the European Union. Prof. Kostadinova provides expertise on how government actors and policies impact individual rights, including those of marginalized groups. 

International Lawyer (UK-based) and political scientist with comprehensive experience in research and Country of Origin reports. Research experience in international public law, international private law, terrorism, international human rights law, international relations, immigration law, OISC Accredited (2005-2012). Expertise in blood feuds, honour killing, human trafficking, modern slavery, forced labour, domestic violence, narcotics mafia, human and political rights abuse, opposition and political persecution, risk of return and brutal and degrading treatment and torture. Over two decades of experience working with migrants in the UK. Written over 250 expert reports for Immigration Tribunals, Extradition Courts and Criminal Courts (Crown Courts). Appeared as a witness expert in immigration tribunals, extradition, and criminal courts. Member of the Academy of Experts since 2020. Awarded by Acquisition International  ‘Best Southeast Europe Country of Origin Reports Specialist 2024’

Norma Kriger is South African born and raised. She has a BA in Economics and Mathematics and a BA (Hons) in Economics from the University of Cape Town. She got her PhD in Political Science from M.I.T. She taught at Johns Hopkins University for more than a decade and produced two Cambridge University Press books on peasant-guerrilla relations during Zimbabwe’s war of independence and on the ruling party’s use of former guerrillas in its state- and nation-building project. She has done consultancies for organizations such as Human Rights Watch, International Rescue Committee, USAID, and the World Bank working in Senegal, South Sudan, Timor Leste, and Zimbabwe. At the Library of Congress, she did research on terrorist organizations, among other topics. In 2025, she did research in Zimbabwe evaluating USAID’s democracy, rights and governance programs and in Namibia on rights for LGBTQI+ individuals. Her two current academic research projects are on multinational corporations’ strategies in situations of violent conflict, and on Zimbabwe’s military coup in 2017. She has been a consultant for Communitology since 2022. 

She finds access to the UK Home Office decisions before agreeing to write expert opinion reports helpful in determining if she can… Read more

Associate Professor at King’s College London with over two decades of internationally recognised expertise on crime, corruption, policing, prisons and criminal justice reform across the former Soviet Union. Known for combining rigorous academic research with high-level policy advisory roles for international organisations as well as UK and US government departments.

I am available to produce general country expert evidence reports on political, social, and economic conditions, corruption and crime environments, state protection capacity, and risks faced by specific social groups in my countries of expertise. I also provide expert reports and testimony for cases involving risks from political activism, exposure of corruption or organised crime, trafficking and exploitation, state collusion with criminal groups, police corruption, and inhumane detention conditions in former Soviet Union countries.

I have extensively travelled and conducted field research across former Soviet Union countries, gaining a deep understanding of how informal networks, weak rule of law, and criminal-state nexus structures create specific vulnerabilities for asylum claimants. My research has been published in leading academic journals and briefed to senior policymakers and officials… Read more

Joshua Kurlantzick is Senior Fellow for South Asia and Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, where he studies South Asian and Southeast Asian politics and economics, with a particular focus on democracy, authoritarianism, human rights, and political transitions. Experienced country of origin expert for all nationals from Southeast Asia and China; specialist from one of the leading think-tanks in the world. Have provided expert witness reports for fifteen years for asylum cases in the UK, Europe, and US for nationals from across South, Southeast, and Northeast Asia – related to political issues, trafficking, slavery, gangs, religion, and many other issues. Also have provided expert witness reports for non-asylum immigration cases for nationals from South, Southeast, and Northeast Asia.

Extensive experience in expert reports on all the countries listed, and also in particular, Kurds in country of origin and diaspora

Dr. Laker is a seasoned conflict, security and development practitioner with 15 years of experience with a specialized focus on forced displacement, gender, security sector reform, international humanitarian law, and transitional justice. Dr. Laker's consulting, research, and academic interests are grounded in the field of defence, strategic studies and international relations. He is currently Assistant Professor in international humanitarian law, conflict, security, military ethics, humanitarianism, and air, land, and sea operations to both junior and senior military officers, at Zayed Military University in Abu Dhabi, UAE. His book manuscript, Rethinking Internal Displacement: Geo-Political Games, Fragile States, & the Relief Industry was published in 2021. 

Intercultural and psychoanalytic psychotherapist, specialising in issues relevant to various Muslim countries, incl vendettas, honour killing, domestic violence, PTSD, Rape Trauma Syndrome, assault in detention and traumas of migration and exile.

Gideon Lasco, MD, PhD is a physician and medical anthropologist. He is senior lecturer at the University of the Philippines Diliman's Department of Anthropology, affiliate faculty at the UP College of Medicine’s Social Medicine Unit, research fellow at the Ateneo de Manila University's Development Studies Program, and honorary fellow at Hong Kong University's Centre for Criminology. 

Academic and practicing attorney, based in USA (admitted to AZ bar), experienced in written and oral expert reports in variety of national formats, on many social groups and diverse matters in West Africa and Africa broadly.

Depending on issue/claim basis, I may be able to provide expertise on any country in West Africa. I have testified and provided expertise for cases from: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

Professor Leclerc-Madlala is an anthropologist whose research and publications since 1995 have focused on the intersections of culture, sexuality, gender and HIV in Africa, especially in South Africa and in relation to young women’s vulnerability. Her academic work as former Professor and Head of the Anthropology Department at the University of KwaZulu-Natal was complimented by active involvement in the design, implementation and evaluation of HIV programs in South Africa and its neighboring countries. Currently working as a Senior Advisor for HIV and health with the US Agency for International Development, Professor Leclerc-Madlala got her start in development as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Gabon. 

Prof Leclerc-Madlala has worked as a consultant to UNAIDS, SADC, the World Bank, and WHO, as well as to several regional non-government organizations and community-based organizations. She helped to draft South Africa’s Sexual Offences Act and the Children’s Bill and authored UNAIDS’ 2009 Action Brief on Inter-generational and Transactional sex in Southern Africa. She worked with the Commission on Gender Equality, the South African Law Commission and other legal bodies to assess various cultural and medical practices for human rights violations.… Read more

Jordan Levy is a sociocultural anthropologist with a research program focused on state formation, political culture, and out-migration in Honduras. He has been studying Honduras and conducting non-governmental (NGO) work in the country since 2001. He was present during the 2009 military coup, and has since studied how these events polarized Honduran society and have increased different forms of violence. 

Dr. Levy's doctoral dissertation focused on the political activism of schoolteachers and post-coup policies of governance. During the course of conducting ethnographic research inside Honduran schools he learned a great deal about Hondurans' experiences with violence – including gang violence and gender-based violence. At the University of Connecticut he teaches courses on contemporary Latin America, and the Anthropology of Migration.

Carl Lijong is a distinguished diplomat with robust experience in regional diplomacy and strategic planning within Suriname’s Foreign Ministry. His leadership in Brazil and within Surinamese national development frameworks reflects his ability to harmonize policy with implementation. A trained expert in resultsbased management and international cooperation, Carl’s multilingual and multicultural expertise makes him a powerful asset in diplomatic and policy coordination arenas.

Dohyun Lim is a trusted East Asia country analyst whose work provides deep, clear- eyed insight into Korea’s political dynamics, regional security, and human rights challenges. His practical expertise and multilingual skills help clients navigate sensitive inter-Korean issues and shifting policy trends in Northeast Asia. Dohyun’s clear research, strong cultural understanding, and ability to deliver nuanced, actionable intelligence make him an excellent partner for governments, NGOs, and private clients. His commitment to objective, balanced analysis adds unique value for any organization seeking reliable country expertise in one of the world’s most complex geopolitical landscapes.

Robin Llewellyn is a natural communicator with a gift for amplifying marginalized voices. With over a decade of experience as a journalist and media strategist, he has not only reported on human rights abuses but actively helped shape narratives for indigenous and environmental defenders. His cross-cultural communication, creative storytelling, and policy-savvy writing make him a powerful bridge between communities and decision-makers. Robin doesn’t just tell stories, he helps people be heard. He would be a valuable addition to any team seeking clarity, compassion, and compelling communication.

Dr. Logvinenko is an expert in autocratization, democracy, and rule-of-law institutions. He is a tenured Associate Professor of Diplomacy & World Affairs at Occidental College. His research and commentary have been published in highly regarded academic journals such as Communist and Post-Communist Studies, Democratization, European Journal of Politics and Gender, Europe-Asia Studies, and Russian Politics, among others. I have also contributed to popular publications such as The Washington Post. His first book, Global Finance and Local Control: Corruption and Wealth in Contemporary Russia, was published by Cornell University Press in 2021 and received the co-winner of the 2023 Best Book Award given by the International Political Economy section of the International Studies Association. He holds a doctorate in Government from Cornell University and has taught at Wellesley College, the Cornell-in-Washington Program, the Harriman Institute at Columbia University, and the Monterey Institute for International Studies. As a native of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, he studied Physics and Mathematics at Lyceum #61.

Alina Ionita is a dynamic expert in economic diplomacy and public affairs, known for building commercial bridges between Northern and Eastern Europe. Her multifaceted roles in embassies, consultancy, and government have made her a trusted partner in advancing bilateral cooperation. She brings valuable linguistic fluency and cross- sectoral knowledge, with a proven record in project management and policy advisory. Alina is ideally positioned to enhance any initiative requiring multicultural negotiation, policy intelligence, and commercial strategy.

Marilisa Lorusso is a regular contributor to Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa, an Italian think tank and online magazine with approximately 5,000 daily views.

She has been deployed by the Italian Foreign Ministry as an expert for post-war civilian monitoring missions in Georgia. Additionally, she has served in a non-diplomatic capacity at the Geneva International Discussions on the Georgian peace settlement while based at the European Union Council in Brussels.

Daryna Lysyk is a well-rounded legal practitioner and country expert on Ukraine with extensive cross-sectoral experience in international law, refugee protection, and human rights. Her professional background bridges high-level legal research at one of Ukraine’s most respected law firms with hands-on support for refugees navigating asylum and immigration systems in the UK. As an immigration advisor and project coordinator, she has authored comprehensive handbooks, delivered multilingual trainings, and ensured accessible legal guidance for displaced Ukrainians. Her credibility is grounded in legal accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and responsiveness to complex humanitarian contexts, particularly since the escalation of the war in Ukraine. With her legal fluency in three languages and a proven ability to communicate legal nuance across borders, Daryna is exceptionally positioned to contribute expert reports, risk analyses, and country assessments for legal teams, NGOs, and international protection agencies.