The 14th IGAD Land Governance Program Steering Committee Meeting

The 14th IGAD Land Governance Program Steering Committee Meeting, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 13 to 14 February 2025, convened leaders from the land institutions of IGAD Member States, experts from the East African NELGA Node, Civil Society Organizations, the African Land Policy Center, and Development Partners, including GIZ, to share updates on land reforms in the region, discuss challenges, and set priorities and action plans essential for promoting the effective implementation of the African Union agenda and declarations concerning land issues.

Members States have a pivotal role in improving land governance at both the national and regional levels by addressing urgent regional issues such as unequal access to and control over land and natural resources, risks posed by climate change, and gender inequality. The funding necessary for the implementation of this regional land governance program is primarily provided by donors and development partners. Among others, the GIZ’s Strengthening Advisory Capacities for Land Governance in Africa (SLGA) programme, supports land reform initiatives within the IGAD region. Collaborating with the IGAD Land Governance Unit, the SLGA programme backs land reforms in Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan, and Djibouti, focusing particularly on cross-country learning exchanges, policy-oriented research, coordination within the land sector, capacity building, land information management, and regional and national dialogues on land, gender and climate change.

The Steering Committee, along with GIZ and other partners, emphasized the necessity of enhancing cooperation and partnerships to address issues related to land governance and climate change in the region to ensure development that is inclusive and sustainable.