Effective land governance is critical to achieving Africa’s development, particularly the continent’s 50-year development plan and Agenda 2063, says Stephen Karingi, Director of the Economic Commission for Africa -ECA’s Regional Integration and Trade Division.
Karingi was speaking at 2019 Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA2019) that opened on Monday in Abidjan where he said land was the foundational asset upon which economies were built, adding property rights were essential for creating a conducive environment for attracting private sector investment on the continent.
“Globally, success in achieving the sustainable development goals is underpinned by good land governance, as it contributes to eliminating poverty and hunger; promoting sustainable agriculture; advancing gender equality and women empowerment; and promoting inclusive economic growth; among other development objectives,” karingi said
According to ECA’s statement released on Tuesday Mr. Karingi said environments of legal uncertainty not only undermined business confidence, but could foster corruption in Africa.
“Undeveloped systems with complex and unclear administrative processes contribute to lack of transparency and accountability in the administration of land. These conditions increase the likelihood of corruption. Corruption in the land sector has far-reaching implications for Africa’s development,” he added.
Winning the fight against corruption in the land sector: Sustainable pathways for Africa’s transformation, is the theme of the biennial conference. Mr. Karingi said the theme was timely, especially as Africa seeks to transform her economies.
“Effective land governance and management is also indispensable to efforts to promote inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development in support of Africa’s structural transformation. Secure land rights for women can also increase women’s ability to enter into agricultural contracts in win-win land based investment models,” he said.
For her part Ambassador Josefa Sacko, the African Union Commission’s Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, said good land governance was essential for Africa’s development.
“Land in Africa is an important factor of production as most livelihoods and developmental activities are undertaken on land. With this in mind, we need to ensure that the way in which land is distributed and used plays an essential role in promoting sustainable development and achieving peace and stability on the continent,” she said.
Corruption in the land sector, the Commissioner said, can inhibit the ability for people to access and own land which in turn marginalizes some sectors of society thereby undermining their livelihoods and perpetuating conflicts, hunger and poverty.
“For us to win the fight against corruption we need to ensure that land is equitably distributed and accessed by all, more especially women, youths and other vulnerable groups. Women continue to contribute significantly towards agricultural production in Africa but in some circumstances are not able to enjoy their rights to land. It is therefore a reality that women and men still do not enjoy the same rights over land,” she added.
The African Development Bank’s Senior Vice President, Charles Boamah, for his part, said sound land policy was critical to economic growth, food security, and poverty alleviation across the continent.
MG/abj/APA