17-10-2018, Nairobi (Kenya): Following the meeting of yesterday October 16th during which Directors responsible for land management and those responsible for agriculture, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) today held a one-day meeting with Development Partners on Land Governance Project.
The goal of today’s Land Project IGAD Partners Platform Meeting is to enhance collaborative partnerships in the implementation of the 2019 – 2023 Work Program; and to generate interest and initiate the fund raising process amongst a broad range of partners who may come on board in order to secure additional funding to support the IGAD Land Project Work Program.
The target audience of the IGAD Partners Platform Meeting is primarily the donor community as well as Ministers responsible for Lands and Ministers responsible for Agriculture. IGAD currently has a Partners’ Forum (IPF) chaired by Italy and whose members are engaged in this Development Partners’ Forum. Other donors outside of the IPF are also participating.
Mr. Mohamed Moussa, Director of Agriculture and Environment, gave an overview of the achievements of the IGAD Land Governance Project. “The first phase of the Project focused on building capacity of IGAD Member States’ authorities in charge of land management”, he said. “Among the major achievements are the development of an IGAD Land Governance Strategy which will be submitted to the Ministers for endorsement tomorrow, and of a Mainstreaming Land Governance Strategy. Also, we established a Land Governance Dialogue Platform and developed and business plan for the next four years”, he said. “The Second Phase will aim at supporting IGAD Member States in the implementation of the African Union Declaration on Land as the country level implementation is the most crucial step”, he concluded
Dr. Addis Teshome, from the Embassy of Switzerland in Addis Ababa, commended the engagement the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC) has had with IGAD the last five years over the Land Governance Project and committed the agency’s support for the 2nd Phase.
Mr. Belay Demissie, Regional Land Expert at the African Land Policy Centre, noted that IGAD Land Governance Strategy needs to be implemented in coordination with his organization to be in line with the continental agenda. The meeting opened officially after Dr. Augustine Masinde, National Director of Physical Planning-Kenya, gave his opening remarks.
IGAD is implementing a programme on land governance with support from the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC). The main aim of the project is to facilitate the implementation of the AU Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in accordance with the Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa, in order to facilitate access to land and security of lands rights for all land users in the IGAD region, especially vulnerable groups such as pastoralists, women and youth.
