February 14, 2025 (Nairobi, Kenya): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) through its Land Governance Unit, in collaboration with the host country’s Kenya National Land Commission and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development of the Republic of Kenya has today concluded the annual IGAD Land governance steering committee meeting.
The two-day IGAD Land Governance Steering Committee meeting convened to review and assess the progress made by Member States in implementing the regional land agenda in line with national development priorities and the 2024 Annual Work Plan. The meeting also aimed to evaluate the overall implementation of the IGAD Land Governance Unit’s 2024 Work Plan, Annual Narrative, and Financial Report. Additionally, participants deliberated on the 2025 Work Plan and Budget and explored strategies to strengthen partnerships, synergies, and resource mobilization for sustainable land governance.
During the opening session, Dr. Dereje Wakjira, Director of IGAD’s Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD), speaking on behalf of H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD Executive Secretary, emphasised the importance of land governance in shaping food security, economic stability, and national cohesion.
He highlighted IGAD’s achievements over the past year, including harmonising policies, strengthening institutions, and building capacity in the land sector.
Mr. Ayela Kabeda, representing the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), stressed on the urgency of addressing global food security, noting that the 2030 target to end hunger is now just five years away but remains far from realization. He emphasized the inextricable link between land governance and food security, as land is not only a political and economic asset but also a critical enabler of agricultural productivity. He reaffirmed SIDA’s long-standing commitment to IGAD and highlighted efforts to consolidate various projects into a more coordinated program for effective implementation.
Speaking on behalf of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Ms. Nanny Wiechert reiterated GIZ’s strong partnership with IGAD. She highlighted key collaborative initiatives, including the twinning exercise between Uganda’s Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and Ethiopia’s Rural Land Administration and Use Directorate under the Ministry of Agriculture. Additionally, she acknowledged progress in reviewing legal and technical procedures for rural-to-urban land conversion and peri-urban land registration in Ethiopia. Ms. Wiechert emphasised the importance of strengthening women’s leadership in land governance and encouraged IGAD and its Member States to institutionalise partnerships with educational institutions to bridge the gap between theory and practice in land administration.
Representing the Africa Land Policy Centre (ALPC), a specialized unit within the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Dr Joan Kagwanja, discussed the role of regional economic communities (RECs) such as ECOWAS, EAC, IGAD, COMESA, and SADC in advancing land governance. She highlighted the need for better data collection and monitoring, given that many Member States and RECs struggle with land-related data management. Furthermore, She pointed out the importance of ensuring women’s land rights, in alignment with the African Union’s declarations on women and land, and called for inclusive approaches to large-scale land-based investments that benefit smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of agriculture in Africa.
Over the two-day meeting, representatives from ministries responsible for land governance, land commissions, and development partners engaged in discussions focused on the following:
– Progress made by Member States in implementing land governance reforms
– The status of the IGAD Land Governance Unit’s 2024 Work Plan and Budget
– The 2025 Work Plan and Financial Plan for the Land Governance Unit
– Strategies to enhance collaboration, partnerships, and resource mobilization for land governance programs across the region
At the closing session, the IGAD Land Governance Unit Coordinator, Joselyn Bigirwa expressed appreciation for Member States’ commitment to shaping and advancing the regional land governance agenda. She reiterated that IGAD’s programming is guided by Member States’ priorities and concerns, underscoring their crucial role in delivering both national and regional land governance objectives. She also acknowledged the continued support of development partners, including SIDA, GIZ, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The meeting concluded successfully with key recommendations aimed at enhancing capacity building in the region, mobilizing resources for professional and short technical courses, and strengthening collaboration with regional institutions such as RCMRD and NELGA. It further emphasized the need to expand the rollout of developed land administration tools to member states and cascade their implementation to the sub-national level, while also scaling up regional learning through the creation of additional tools and the facilitation of learning visits. Additionally, the meeting recommended the strengthening of research efforts within member states and showcasing the findings at regional conferences and learning exchange visits. Lastly, it highlighted the need to engage academic institutions in program implementation to bridge the gap between theoretical teaching and the practical application of land governance.
