Addis Ababa, November 10, 2025 (FMC) — The African Union Commission (AUC) has underscored that effective land governance in Africa is not merely a technical matter, but a cornerstone of social justice, economic transformation, and lasting peace across the continent.
The 2025 Conference on Land Policy in Africa opened today in Addis Ababa under the theme *“Land Governance, Justice and Reparations for Africans and Descendants of People of the African Diaspora.”* The four-day event is jointly organized by the AUC, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the African Land Policy Center (ALPC).
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Amr Aljowaily, Director of the AUC’s Citizens and Diaspora Organization Directorate, emphasized that land governance lies at the heart of Africa’s collective pursuit of justice and sustainable development.
“Land governance in Africa is not a simple technical matter—it is the very architecture of social justice, economic transformation, and peace,” he said.
He noted that equitable land governance is central to Africa’s broader development agenda, adding that the sixth edition of the conference demonstrates a shared commitment to advancing land justice, sovereignty, and sustainability across the continent.
Ambassador Aljowaily further linked the theme of the conference to the African Union’s 2025 focus on justice and reparations for Africans and people of African descent, urging participants to confront both historical and contemporary injustices.
“Our discussions compel us to face the inequities that continue to shape the African condition,” he said. “We must move beyond grievance and toward redress—toward the restoration of dignity and agency.”
He called for a new approach that bridges knowledge, policy, and practice, ensuring that land reform is guided by evidence and equity. Transforming land governance, he emphasized, must become a shared responsibility to drive inclusion, opportunity, and prosperity.
“The challenge before us is to translate reparative justice into institutional reform and to transform land from a site of exclusion into a catalyst for inclusion, prosperity, and peace,” he added.
On his part, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the ECA, Claver Gatete, highlighted the pivotal role of the African Land Policy Center in advancing evidence-based land management and inclusive policies.
Gatete outlined the complex challenges facing Africa, including economic instability, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. “The world is navigating converging storms,” he noted. “Despite its vast resources, Africa continues to bear the brunt of rising debt and persistent inequalities.”
He framed the central question before the continent: “How can we build a just and prosperous Africa when the roots of historical injustice remain unresolved?”
Emphasizing that land represents more than geography—embodying sovereignty, identity, and belonging—Gatete called for reparations that go beyond acknowledgment to deliver systemic transformation. He reaffirmed the ECA’s full commitment to advancing justice, equity, and sustainable land governance across Africa.
The conference brings together policymakers, scholars, civil society leaders, and development partners to shape a collective roadmap for fair and inclusive land governance, in line with Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.