High Level Political Forum 2019

Addressing Land and Conflict to Achieve the SDGs Through Conflict-Sensitive Development

High Level Political Forum 2019 - Side Event

Thursday, 11 July 18.30 – 20.00 (NY time)

Conference Room 11, UN HQ

Brief description of the event:

Land is understood as a root cause of conflict and a bottleneck to development. More focus is needed on how conflict sensitive investments and development can help to sustain peace. This requires a more coherent and sustained engagement on land. The Executive Committee, led by the Secretary-General, recently adopted Guidance Note on land and conflict to ensure better UN support across the development, humanitarian and peace and security pillars. New practices are emerging at regional and country level. A renewed dialogue is needed with member states to strengthen the UN’s role in creating opportunities to sustain peace and accelerate the localisation of the SDGs. The Great Lakes is an example of how a more coherent and sustained engagement on land, paves the way for conflict-sensitive management of natural resources and longer-term stability. Somalia and Afghanistan illustrate how land value can be captured by local governments to generate revenue, invest in basic, and rebuild the social contract.

Objectives:

1. Advocacy and raising awareness on land and conflict and how conflict sensitive development that overcomes

land as a driver of conflict can contribute to sustaining peace

2. Support a more sustained dialogue and engagement on land and conflict with member states

3. Discuss the role of the UN as outlined in the Secretary-General Guidance Note on Land and Conflict.

Programme

Introduction by Chair

Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat

Panelists

Hon Robert Loki Lado Chairman, South Sudan Land Commission

Ms. Marta Ruedas, Deputy Special Representative for the Secretary-General and Resident Coordinator, Iraq

Mr. Marcel Stoessel, Senior Policy Advisor on Fragility, Conflict and Violence, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC),Switzerland

Mr. Gam Awungshi Shimray, Secretary General, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, International Land Coalition Inter-active discussion with Member States and stakeholders

Closing remarks

Ms. Teresa Whitfield, Director Policy and Mediation Division, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operation