Ms. Mama Keita with other Speakers
At the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, the Year 2021 was declared the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, according to Ms. Mama Keita, Director of the Sub-regional Office for East Africa of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Read her remarks during the Opening ceremoniy of the 4th Conference of Land Policy in Africa in Kigali today:
I would like to begin my remarks by expressing my gratitude to the Government of Rwanda for co-hosting the fourth Conference on Land Policy in Africa. I also want to recognize the leadership of the African Union Commission and partnership of the African Development Bank for our fifteen year old joint partnership aimed at supporting our Member States to improve land governance. The bienial Conference on Land Policy is a key ouput of our joint partnership.
This year’s Conference is being held under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, which continues to challenge humanity in fundamental ways, amplifying, in the process, our global interconnectedness and interdependence. No country or continent can rely only on its own knowledge, tools and resources to tackle challenges like COVID-19. Similarly, we all need one another to share knowledge, experiences and leverage resources towards land governance reforms to transform our countries and continent.
We established the Conference on Land Policy in Africa in 2014 and I am very happy to note that it is now a major platform for experience sharing and learning in support of the effective implementation of the AU Agenda on land from a wide range of perspectives.
The theme of the Conference echoes the decision of the African Union that 2021 be the Year of arts, culture and heritage. Furthermore, at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, the Year 2021 was declared the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.
The creative economy is among the most rapidly growing sectors of the world economy generating over 30 million jobs worldwide and employing more young people under 30 years old than any other sector. Through cultural and creative industries, incomes can be generated, jobs created, trade opportunities increased, and social harmony enhanced through music, film, software, advertising, entertainment, architecture, visual arts, publishing, and tourism. All these opportunities can be greatly facilitated by good land governance that facilitates sustainable management and use of forests, landscapes, rivers and other ecologies for economic and social benefit for culture and creative industries.
There is no doubt that land is the greatest heritage for Africa and Africans, whose value for humanity transcends from one generation to the next. By developing effective governance policies and practices to secure this heritage, we will harness its potential for economic, social and environmental transformation and contribute to eliminating poverty and hunger through increased productivity; promoting sustainable agriculture by harnessing technology, innovation and indigenous knowledge systems; advancing gender equality and women empowerment; and promoting people-centred economic growth.
The development and implementation of land policies requires knowledge of the issues at all levels of society. There is a need for targeted data and information on land claims and management to promote responsible investments while ensuring access to productive resources including fertilizers, seeds, storage storage facilities, among others. Of utmost importance is harnessing good practices to secure land rights for women and youth, and to benefit from these opportunities. Here I want to commend the government of Rwanda for great efforts in securing land for women and also protecting landscapes for wildlife that forms the basis for a thriving tourism sector. Sharing of such knowledge among countries is critical, yet it is often hindered by the way the knolwedge is packaged and disseminated.
Working with artists and the creative sector, technical information can be simplified and made more accessible to our communities. Land governance information can be rendered in music, film, visual arts, short stories and animation, and presented in different African languages for better reach.
Equally, in developing land policies, we have a responsibility to secure spaces that have significance for communities, be it heritage or sacred sites with spiritual importance. They may also have historical or cultural relevance. The recognition of land as heritage with political, economic, social, environmental and spiritual significance provides an opportunity for inclusive policies that protect diverse interests.
It is also important to examine critically large scale land based investments, most of which sit on customary land, to support more equitable distribution of benefits and risks. This way, we ensure private sector engagements can be economically viable, equitable, and sustainable, reducing land based conflicts and safeguarding the environment.
This, ladies and gentlemen, requires us to intensify relevant research and analysis of data to guide interventions.
This Conference is a good opportunity to reflect and reaffirm our commitment to the aspirations of the AU Agenda on land, our contribution to Agenda 2063. We are witnessing steady progress in the integration of land governance frameworks in continental, regional and national development strategies and agricultural investment plans. Academic institutions are reforming their land governance curricula to incorporate the demands of industry and inject new dynamics driven by research and innovation. The continent is also paying more attention to indigenous knowledge systems to address food deficits and mitigate climate change. Traditional institutions and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms are being utilized, alongside statutory law, to address disputes.
But more still needs to be done.
As a tripartite partner with the African Union Commission and African Development Bank, the ECA is committed to implementing the AU land agenda through the African Land Policy Center and by mainstreaming land governance issues in the programmes of ECA. We express our deep appreciation to our development partners, especially the Government of Germany, who with the technical assistance of GIZ, have provided immense support in the auspices of the ‘Strengthening Advisory Capacities for Land Governance in Africa’ program. One of the key outputs is the flagship programme named the Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa which has seen universities review curricula and develop training programmes to equip land professionals with the skills needed to improve land governance and management in Africa. I urge more development partners to join with us to ensure the AU aspirations are achieved as we progress towards 2063.
Let me close by urging all participants to take advantage of the invaluable platform provided by CLPA to share knowledge and experiences, build alliances and networks to amplify our collective impact. (End)