The 13th summit of the African Union has recently finished in Sirte” Libya.  This year’s theme for the annual meeting of governments was “Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security.”   The assembled Heads of States adopted the Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in Africa during the summit’s final Assembly held from July 1 – 3 2009.  The declaration highlights “…the centrality of land to sustainable socio-economic growth” development and the security of the social” economic and cultural livelihoods of [Africa’s] people.”

The summit follows an earlier meeting of African ministers in charge of Agriculture” Land and Livestock in Addis Ababa on 23-24 April 2004.  The ministers endorsed a Framework and Guidelines on Land policy in Africa” as a valid tool that could inform national land policy development and implementation initiatives. This adoption of the declaration and the endorsement of the framework and guidelines by the Summit participants is a powerful acknowledgement by member states of the central role that land policy must take in the continent’s environmental” political and social development.

More Resources

Read the complete Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in Africa

African Union Press Release on Summit

Africa: Safeguarding Women's Rights Will Boost Food Security

by Mary Wandia” 26 June 2009