A successful Arab Land Initiative’s Reference Group meeting
The Arab Land Initiative’s Reference Group meeting was held in Cairo on 29-30 May 2024 at the HQ of the League of Arab States. The two-day meeting saw the attendance of participants representing organizations such as the League of Arab States, UN-ESCWA, UNECA, NRC, World Bank, UN-Habitat Lebanon and Jordan, APN, AUB, Istidama, UTI, AUS, ILC, NELGA, Dohuk University, Audi, CRTEAN and Land at scale.
The overall objective of the meeting was to advance the land governance agenda in Arab countries by providing updates on ongoing work and strategizing the Initiative's future direction. The specific objectives of the meeting were as follows:
Discuss the status of land governance in the region: key trends, challenges and opportunities.
Share the highlights of the work done in the past years.
Consolidate a vision for the way forward.
Discuss the key streams of work planned and possible collaborations.
Strengthen the network, enhance regional cooperation and mobilize support for the way forward.
The meeting was successful in identifying and discussing several key thematic areas, including women's land rights, land for food security and climate action, land and conflict, housing, land and property rights of displaced people, land for housing and sustainable urbanization, fit-for-purpose land administration and monitoring land governance.
During the discussions and group exercises, the Arab Land Initiative secretariat and its partners approved the Reference group TORs and agreed on the way forward in addressing the discussed thematic areas and key partners to involve in different streams of work.
Presentations, materials and pictures shared at the event can be accessed at this [link].