Dr. Lansana Gberie is a United Nations expert on West Africa. A journalist and an academic, he has written extensively on Africa, including "Rescuing a Fragile State: Sierra Leone 2002-2008" (Wilfrid Laurier University Press 2009). He is also author of "A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone" (London: Hurst 2005). Dr. Gberie was awarded the 'Outstanding Research Award' by the Canadian government in 2002 for his work with Partnership Africa Canada on the Human Security and International Diamond Trade project; he and his colleagues were also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by three senior US lawmakers for this work the following Year.