CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP ON LAND REFORM IN AFRICA OPENS; REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CALL FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS AND LAND SECURITY

Addis Ababa, 27 March 2006: African regional organizations, supported by dozens of delegates from the civil society, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholder groups, today began a three-day workshop in Addis Ababa to develop a framework and guidelines for land policy and reform in Africa.

The workshop, which is co-sponsored by the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), will explore the threats, challenges and opportunities facing land reforms in Africa and recommend a plan of action to address them. It is facilitated by the International Land Coalition (ILC) and supported by Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Rockefeller Foundation.

In an opening statement, Mrs. Rosebud Kurwijila, the African Union’s Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, said land was fundamental in addressing poverty, food security and broad-based economic growth in Africa.

Stressing that equitable access to land was central to the vision of the African Union, Mrs. Kurwijila said African countries had recognized that land policy should “serve the multiple goals of equity, poverty reduction, income growth, economic efficiency and sustainable environmental management.”

The Commissioner described the workshop as the beginning of an important process that will lead to the collective path of political, economic, and cultural integration of the African continent.

ADB’s Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Chuku Dinka Spencer, said if the “locked-up capital” that land represents was properly harnessed, it could bring wealth and prosperity to a nation at all levels.

He urged participants to come up with concrete proposals that will take into account current best practices and evolve a framework to comprehensively deal with land and land issues.

Earlier, in a welcome address delivered on his behalf by Josue Dione, Director of Sustainable Development, ECA’s Executive Secretary and UN Under-Secretary General, Abdoulie Janneh, said many conflicts in Africa were related to the governance, control and use of land.

“Therefore, we must take steps to reduce these conflicts by addressing their underlying causes - insecurity of land rights, bad governance, and bad management of land and natural resources, “ Mr. Janneh said.