The Regional Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Terrestrial Ecosystem on July 28 concluded its three-day meeting to examine land governance frameworks and approaches in implementing the African Union (AU) land agenda in the East African region.
The TWG, made up of Partner States (PSs), reviewed research considerations from the region’s commissioned scoping study report on land development and approaches to set up a regional coordination platform for implementing the AU Agenda on Land.
The TWG commended the development of the study report endorsing identified coordination and collaboration actions between the EAC Secretariat and ALPC for improved evidence-based land governance development and implementation.
Joan Kagwanja, the ALPC Coordinator, commended the TWG’s commitment to the ECA-EAC partnership and the establishment of a sustainable platform for the EAC Partners States to share best practices on land policy administration.
Over the last two years, the ALPC supported the EAC Secretariat in implementing the AU land agenda. In particular, the ALPC supported; the development of a scoping study as part of EAC’s efforts to implement the AU Declaration on Land; steps to establish a platform to share knowledge; capacity development towards comprehensive land policies implementation and reforms in EAC.
Jean-Baptiste Havugimana, Director of Productive Sectors (DPS), EAC Secretariat, stressed the need for Partner States to cooperate in implementing the AU land agenda.
He shared insights on the progress made in the EAC region on land governance while stressing the importance of operationalizing the regional land platform by the end of 2022 as it is a crucial directive by the eighth Sectoral Council on Environment and Natural Resources Management.
Partner States Experts’, drawn from ministries and institutions responsible for EAC affairs, land policies development, land use planning and administration, and environment and natural resources management from Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda, attended the meeting.
The meeting witnessed high-quality discussions as the group reached a consensus and discussed the next steps for implementing the recommendations of the scoping study on land policy development in the EAC Partner States.
The meeting also validated the terms of reference for setting up a Regional Steering Committee in charge of providing the Secretariat with policy advice and support in resource mobilization on land governance issues. (Fin)