May 23, 2024 (JUBA: South Sudan): With financial support from the Swedish Embassy, the IGAD Land Governance Programme organized a 2-day orientation workshop to orient the newly appointed chairpersons of specialized Standing Committees in the National Legislative Assembly, representatives of political parties and the Law Society on the Draft National Land policy. The purpose of the workshop was to solicit their feedback on the draft Land policy document and to lobby support for its approval and adoption by National Legislative Assembly.
The workshop was held in Juba and attended by over 85 participants from the Parliamentary Standing Specialized Committees on; a) Land & Physical Infrastructure, b) Environment and Forestry, c) Agriculture and Food Security and d) Land, Infrastructure and States Boundaries, e) Security, Gender and mining, f) political parties’ representatives. UN agencies, Development partners, the Academia and Civil Society organisations were also represented at the workshop.
The workshop was graced by the Rt. Hon Deputy Speaker of National Parliament, Hon Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, The chairperson of the parliamentary committee on Land and the Chairperson of the South Sudan Land Commission.
The Deputy speaker, RT. Hon. Permena Awariel who opened and closed the workshop urged the parliamentarians to critically study the content of the policy and be good ambassadors within parliamentary and also educate their constituents on the provisions of the Land policy. He reiterated his support of the passing of the Land policy for the good of the people of South Sudan.
Hon Michael Chanjek Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, pointed out that the passing of the policy will pave way for the amendment of the land act and promulgation of other laws related to Land.
Mr. David Kwaje, IGAD HoM South Sudan congratulated the Ministry and the government of South Sudan for their commitment on the process of completing the National Land Policy; he encouraged the new members of the specialized standing committee on land to stand with the Ministry for the success of the policy and acknowledged the partners who have supported this process so far.
IGAD has been one of the key stakeholders that supported the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development in the process of developing national Land policy, the policy has benefited from key resources developed by IGAD including the IGAD Regional Women’s Land Rights Agenda and the prototypical gender responsive National Land Policy.
A road map for fast tracking approval has been drawn and key actions going forward including the following the need to organize a workshop for all the 650 MPs for enhance and accelerate the passing of the Land Policy by the Parliament
IGAD remains committed to supporting the process leading to a successful adoption of the land policy and subsequent implementation of the same.
