OPENING REMARKS BY Ms. KANZIEMO LEONTINE, ADVISOR, NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
On behalf of
DR VANESSA USHIE, ACTING DIRECTOR, AFRICA NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT CENTRE
Good morning from Abidjan,
- H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment
- Mr. Robert Lisinge, representative of the Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
- H.E Hans Lundquist, Ambassador of Sweden to Ethiopia and Djibouti, and Permanent Representative to AU, IGAD and UNECA.
- Hon. Judith Nabakooba, Minister of Lands, Housing & Urban Development, Uganda
- Royal highnesses
- Distinguished guests,
- My colleagues from the African Development Bank
- Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is my pleasure to deliver these remarks at the opening session of the 5th Conference on Land Policy in Africa, on behalf of Dr Vanessa USHIE, Ag. Director of the Africa Natural Resources Management and Investment Center. The conference on Land Policy in Africa, has ably demonstrated its role as a convening policy, advocacy and lesson-sharing platform towards the implementation of the African Union Declaration on Land. It is also a Conference in which African Union member countries who are also our Bank member countries come not only to report on their respective country progress of the implementation of the AU Declaration on Land but also to take stock as well as benchmark respective country performance, discuss challenges and further identify areas for capacity building and research.
The theme for this 5th Conference “Promoting Sustainable Land Governance in Africa for Accelerating Implementation of the AfCFTA” is well fitting towards examining land from an AfCFTA’s lens.
Estimates show that that by 2040, the implementation of the AfCFTA will raise intra African trade by 15 to 25 per cent, or $50 billion to $70 billion[1]. A successful continent-wide market for goods and services, business and investment, represents therefore a major opportunity for African countries to boost growth, reduce poverty, and broaden economic inclusion. Land governance regulating access to, use of and control over land, is an enabler of accelerating the implementation of the AfCTA through contributing to the production of goods, unlocking agricultural potential, promoting gender equality, supporting the development of resilient infrastructure, cities and communities, as well as balanced territorial development. On the other hand, expansion of intra African trade and resulting demand for goods such as agricultural goods will affect land systems including, land value, sustainability, increasing large-scale land acquisitions by public and private actors and insecurity of land tenure for women, youth, pastoralists, and other vulnerable groups. Therefore, the issue of good land governance becomes critical for the achievement of the AfCTA.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am aware that continent-wide technical experts will, over the next 4 days, delve into that subject in relation to its impact on AfCFTA. It is my expectation that the conference will generate greater commitment needed to accelerate the effective implementation of the AfCFTA to fully benefit Africans and achieve the aspirations and goals of Agenda 2063.
The few pointers that I would like to put across for you to keep in mind as you discuss this subject are as follows:
- First: The creation of a single market under the AfCFTA provides opportunities for both economic growth and the creation of new and innovative networks for those operating in sectors such as mining, manufacturing, services, or agriculture and agro processing. Its implementation has started to generate positive implications for Intra-continental trade towards economic integration through customs management, transport facilitation, trade and project finance, and institutional development. However, productivity has remained low across several sectors of the regional economy, largely due to inadequate governance of land and land-based natural resources that negatively impact industrialisation and job creation and increase inequalities.
- Second: Experience from other trade liberalization areas has taught us that trade liberalization processes must address structural inequalities, such as women's land rights in Africa. More than half of Africa's agricultural labour force comes from women despite existing inequality in ownership, access to and control of the land. As African governments are ratifying their laws to implement the AfCFTA, there is a need to strengthen women ‘s rights to land and natural resources to achieve fair and sustainable outcomes for all. Agenda 2063 calls for the government to fully empower women in all spheres, with equal social, political and economic rights, including the rights to own and inherit property, sign contracts, and register and manage businesses.
- Third: In 2016, the AU launched a campaign to allocate 30 per cent of land to African Women by 2025 for Africa's economic transformation. Governments should continue to invest in supporting women farmers. After the launch of the Maputo protocol in 2003, the governments of Africa agreed that countries would spend 10 per cent of their public expenditure on agriculture to increase agricultural productivity. Investment in agriculture means enabling women farmers to overcome obstacles they face and supporting them to build capacity and access markets.
- Fourth: One of the key priorities of the AfCFTA is to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and protect the planet through sustainable agriculture and ways of production. Climate change consequences negatively affect African countries, with the constant rise of temperatures, increased droughts, flooding, and erosion, threatening land and water resources. Analysis of the linkages between land governance and implementation of the AfCFTA will need to take account of environmental sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The African Development Bank shall furthermore continue to ensure that all our regional member countries integrate land in the center of their national development and policy frameworks; keep advocating for the development of pro-poor land policy-making processes, continue building the capacity of national land institutions and supporting inclusive land tenure rights for the delivery of country poverty reduction strategies and programs.
Finally, we remain committed to implementing the AU Land Declaration, nurturing, and fostering our partnership with UNECA and the AU Union Commission through strengthening our tri-partite initiative, the African Land Policy Center.
We are eager to hear your recommendations on the way forward.
I wish you all fruitful discussions and deliberations.
Thank you.
[1] Brookings, Understanding the African Continental Free Trade Area and How the U.S. Can Promote its Success.