Some policy experts and stakeholders on Wednesday during one of the plenaries at the 2023 Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA), holding in Addis Ababa.
By Kamal Tayo Oropo
Some policy experts and stakeholders have called for policy cohesion across Africa for successful implementation of multilateral policy decisions.
They spoke on Wednesday during one of the plenaries at the 2023 Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA), holding in Addis Ababa.
The CLPA, fifth in the series, is organised by the tripartite consortium consisting of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
The 2023 edition has the theme, ‘Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation’.
Dr Medhat El-Helepi (ECA), chaired the plenary with the sub-theme: ‘Land Governance, Regional Integration and Intra-Africa Trade: Opportunities and Challenges’.
Panelists at the plenary included Dr Stephen Karingi, Director, Regional Integration and Trade, ECA; Mr Tsotetsi Makong, Head of Capacity Building and Technical Assistance, AfCFTA Secretariat.
Others were Mr Kebur Ghenna, CEO, Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI) and Ms Eileen Wakesho, Director, Community Land Protection at Namati, Kenya.
The event also attracted various stakeholders, including traditional leaders, Civil Society Organisations, and policy decision makers.
Makong expressed worries over reluctance of some participants to openly discuss some matters, pleading ‘no go areas of domestic affairs’.
He, however, noted that the issues of land were within the limit of domestic regulations, adding that tenure land security was the solution that would allow intra African investment that is still low in Africa.
Makong pointed out that the success of the investment protocol under the AfCFTA would depend on countries’ domestic law that should be in line with the AfCFTA.
“There are guidelines on land reforms that need to be turned into regulations within the domestic systems.
“Policy coherence has to be at the heart of what we do.
This can be achieved by engaging everyone including women and youth at the grassroots level.
“Also, you cannot be talking of AfCFTA as of it is just about Ministers of Trade, Economy or Investment.
The idea is a totality of the entire governance structure.
This is very important,” he said.
Speakers also noted that an inclusive land governance was one of the key pillars to enhance Africa’s drive to improving intra-African trade, food security, and sustainable food systems.
They said inclusive governance system would allow stakeholders to create transparency, subsidiarity, inclusiveness, prior informed participation and social acceptance by affected communities in land-based initiatives beyond their borders.
Edited by Folasade Adeniran