High Level Conference on land & conflict in the East and Horn of Africa starts in Uganda

By John Kusolo

Munyonyo, Uganda:   Preident Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa of Uganda is expected to officially open the High-Level Conference on Land and Conflict which is scheduled to take place from 24th to 28th October 2022, at Speke Resort Munyonyo. The Conference is the main series of events that have been organized by Government of Uganda (GoU), IGAD and IDLO as part of the East Africa Justice Week.

Theother associated events to the Land and Conflict Conference include, the Biannual Conference of theInternational Association of Women Judges and the Annual East African Court of Justice JudiciariesSymposium, to be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo and Mestil Hotel respectively.

Objectives of the Conference on Land and Conflict:

The overall objective of the Conference is to enable High Level Policy Makers to exchange Country and cross-country policy experiences and lessons learned with a view to establishing a regional agenda and national policy priorities that comprehensively respond to land conflicts.

The specific objectives of the Conference are segmented as follows:

1. Regional Policy Conference:
2. i) To increase the body of available evidence and facilitate the exchange of views on the prevalence,

causes, impacts and ways of addressing land conflict in the IGAD region and raise awareness around the importance of SDG 16 in addressing these in a comprehensive manner; and ii) To issue concrete and evidence-based recommendations to High Level Policy Makers for better management of land conflicts, enhancing peace, sustainable development, gender equality and climate change adaptation.

1. Special Session of Chief Justice’s to the Land and Conflict Conference:
2. i) To identify and share best practices and lessons learned in terms of management and resolution of

disputes and conflict around land-based natural resources by judiciaries in EAC and IGAD region; and

1. ii) To exchange thoughts and experiences as to the consultation or implication of judiciaries in the EAC and IGAD region in the development and implementation of legislative and policy frameworks affecting conflict around land-based natural resources.
2. Sectoral Ministers Session: i)

To adopt an initial declaration that will provide the basis for the

establishment of an IGAD Agenda on addressing land-based resource conflicts and issue concrete

recommendations for review of national land policies and action plans to better integrate conflict

management; and ii) To serve as a platform for rebuilding a Pan-African network at the most senior

policy and technical levels on land conflict and peace, sustainable development and climate change.

Expected outputs of the Conference on Land and Conflict

The expected outputs of the Conference on Land and Conflict include: i) IGAD Regional Agenda on land conflicts, peace and security, sustainable development, gender equality and climate change adopted.

1. ii) Policy Conference Report published.

iii) The declaration of the Minister’s meeting adopted.

1. iv) The Outcome document of the Chief Justices Meeting published.
2. v) A Report on the IGAD and IDLO convened Donor Roundtable to advance conference resolutions

published.

1. vi) Date and Venue for the next Conference on Land and Conflict agreed upon. Organization of the

Conference

The Conference will be attended by the following categories of participants:

1. i) Ministers responsible for activities related to Land administration, Surveying, Mapping and Kand.Remote Sensing in IGAD Member States;

1. ii) The Ministers responsible for Justice in the IGAD Member States;

iii) The Ministers responsible for Environment in the IGAD Member States;

1. iv) Chief Justices of the EAC and IGAD Member States.
2. v) Judges of the Land and Environment Courts.
3. vi) Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Surveys and Mapping from IGAD Member States.

vii) Directors responsible for Climate Change in the IGAD Member States.

viii) Directors responsible for access to Justice in the IGAD Member States.

Representatives of Governments from EAC and IGAD Member States, Development Partners and UN Agencies.

1. ix) Civil Society Organizations, Academia, other Non-Governmental organizations.
2. x) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) put in place by the World Health Organization, the

Ministry of Health and the Presidential directives on Covid-19 and Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) shall be observed.