AU AfDB ECA Land Policy Initiative

Background

Recognising the importance of land to Africa’s social, political and economic development as well as achieving sustainable management of its natural resources, and in view of the need to harness political will and build capacity in support of the formulation and implementation of appropriate land policies that facilitate Africa’s broad-based development, the African Union Commission (AUC), the Economic Commission for Africa(ECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) embarked on a Land Policy Initiative in 2005 aimed at, among other things, developing a framework and guidelines for land policy in Africa.

In order to gain the commitment of key stakeholders and ensure the implementation of the framework and guidelines, the AU-ECA-AfDB Land Policy Initiative is working and consulting closely with stakeholders and partners at various levels in implementing a roadmap that includes: a continental consultative workshop which took place in March 2006; regional assessment studies and consultation workshops in Africa’s five regions; the development of benchmarks and indicators; an African experts and ministers meeting; and a Summit of Heads of States and Government. It is expected that the framework and guidelines, with modalities for implementation and monitoring, will be adopted by the highest level of African governments: the African Union (AU) Heads of States and Government Summit.

Amongst the Challenges Of Land Policy Formulation and Implementation in Africa, based on research and previous work by ECA and its partners, poor capacity or lack thereof,  has been identified as a critical impediment to land governance and management. In this regard ECA is, in partnership with the African Union, the African Development Bank and other partners, spearheading a project that will support the implementation of the continental framework and guidelines, and indeed land policy in Africa by facilitating knowledge management and sharing of good practices among African and stakeholders in land policy from other parts of the world. The capacity building project, which will culminate in the establishment of the Virtual African Land Policy and Administration Facility (VALPAF) will see the establishment of databases of land experts and of information related to land policy development and land administration, accessible to African and other stakeholders. In addition, the Facility will, through this knowledge management network provide a platform for knowledge management and exchange on land policy and land management, to allow experts and others to share information and best practices in support of land policy formulation and implementation in Africa.

Lessons emanating from the work of ECA and its partners, especially through the implementation of the AU-ECA-AfDB Land Policy Initiative point to the overwhelming interest and support of the Initiative’s objectives and activities by African member states, regional economic communities, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), private sector, centers of excellence, development partners and others. Consensus based on regional assessment studies and regional workshops so far shows that African countries have inadequate internal technical capacities, a constraint that needs to be addressed urgently. And yet in spite of these shortcomings there are tremendous innovative and promising experiences in Africa and in other parts of the world that can be tapped to catalyze meaningful land reforms. The AU-ECA-AfDB land policy initiative and other complementary programmes will aim to assist African governments in harnessing these experiences in order to facilitate meaningful land reforms.

Challenges of Land Policy Formulation and Implementation in Africa >>>