Launch and Planning of the Project ‘Improving Land Governance in the IGAD Region

February 16, 2015, Djibouti: The Land Policy Initiative (LPI) was established in 2006 as a joint initiative of the AU Commission, the UNECA and the AfDB with a view to facilitating national land policy development processes within the context of the AU Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy in Africa which was endorsed by the 13th Assembly of the AU Heads of State and Government in Sirte, Libya in 2009.

H.E. Tumusiime, Rhoda Peace, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture under whose portfolio the LPI is anchored at the Commission was represented by the Head, Rural Economy Division during the launch of the Project in Djibouti. The Minister of Habitat, Urbanisation and Environment of the Republic of Djibouti, H.E. Mr. Mohamed Mousa Ibrahim together with H.E. Mme Hasna Barkat Doud, Minister for the promotion of Women officially launched the project.

The 6- year project (broken into two 3-year phases), with support from the Swedish Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the LPI and IGAD Secretariat aims to (i) Enhance the capacity of the LPI and IGAD Secretariat to facilitate and monitor the implementation of the AU Declaration on Land in the Region;

(ii) Mainstream Land Governance issues in programmes and activities of the IGAD Secretariat, (iii) Develop capacity of academic institutions in the region to promote and undertake land policy related research.

(iv) Work within existing regional platforms for knowledge sharing and advocacy aimed at promoting good land governance and land policy convergence among IGAD Member States (Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda).

(v) Improve partnerships, coordination and alignment of land governance related programme in the IGAD Region and

(vi) Facilitate monitoring and evaluation of land policy reform processes.

The SDC is providing a total sum of USD4.4m while LPI together with the IGAD Secretariat have been able to mobilize combined resource of USD4-500,000.

The Launch and Planning event will comprise different activities to be conducted from 16 – 19 February 2015 as follows;

• Planning and project launching activities 16 – 17 February, 2015

• Project Steering Committee Meeting: 18 February 2015

• Inter-RECs Meeting: 19th of February, 2015.

For further information please contact: Dr. Janet Edeme: EdemeJ@africa-union.org