Call for abstracts: CLPA 2023

The Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) is organised biennially by the African Land Policy Centre (ALPC), a joint initiative of the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the African Development Bank. The goal is to deepen capacity for land policy in Africa through improved access to knowledge and information on land policymaking and implementation. In particular, the CLPA is a platform for presenting research findings and focusing the attention of a comprehensive range of stakeholders on the issues and status of land policy development, implementation and monitoring in Africa. The CLPA also provides a unique opportunity to showcase emerging and promising practices and facilitate networking. Conference participants include researchers, academicians, governments (including parliamentarians), women and youth organisations, traditional authorities, farmers, civil society, private sector, land practitioners and development partners. The CLPA was first held in November 2014, focusing on land, investment and agriculture. A second edition of CLPA was held in November 2017 under a theme targeting youth, land and employment A third edition was held in 2019 CLPA focused on winning the fight against corruption in the land sector. As a result of COVID-19, the fourth CLPA which took place on November 2-4, 2021, was hybrid with the physical component held in Kigali, Rwanda. The Conference theme was “Land governance for safeguarding art, culture and heritage towards the Africa We Want”.

2023 conference theme

From November 21 to 24, 2023, the tripartite consortium consisting of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) will be holding the Fifth Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA) in the context of the ‘Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation’, which is the AU theme of the year.

The adoption as theme of the year is expected to generate greater political commitment and accelerate the effective implementation of the AfCFTA to fully benefit the African citizenry and achieve the aspirations and goals of Agenda 2063. The yearlong activities will enhance the existing collaboration among the Member States, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), AU institutions, the private sector, development partners, and other stakeholders, to mobilize and implement actions that boost intra-Africa trade, particularly trade in value-added production and trade across all sectors of Africa’s economy. Land is one of the key resources and enablers in the implementation of the AfCFTA and produces a significant percentage of the agricultural commodities that are envisioned to be traded. It is also a source of Africa’s mineral wealth and other commodities. In addition, manufacturing processes take place on land. The creation of a single market under the AfCFTA provides opportunities for both economic growth and the creation of new as well as innovative networks for those operating in sectors such as mining, manufacturing, services, agriculture and agro-processing. The issue of inclusive land governance therefore becomes critical for the achievement of the AfCTA objectives.

In view of the above-mentioned, experts interested to participate in the Conference are invited to respond to the Call for Abstracts for papers, master classes, side events and other forms of in person and online participation in the Conference. Abstracts for papers and other forms of participation in the Conference can be submitted as follows:

1. Abstracts for the AfCFTA and cross-border trade related to Africa's inclusive land governance and policy.
2. Abstracts for papers, master classes, side events and other forms of in person and online participation in the Conference, to be submitted under the following event categories and sub-themes:

Core sub-themes:

1. Best practices in developing responsive, responsible land policies for improved cross-border trade in Africa
2. Inclusive and transparent land governance practices and building effective land administration institutions
3. Monitoring and evaluation of land governance

Cross-cutting: Youth, Indigenous people, gender, water, climate change, food, cross-border trade

Sub-themes

• Inclusive land governance for enhanced intra- Africa trade, food security and sustainable food systems
• Regional integration, migration, intra-Africa trade and land use and sustainability
• Innovative geospatial data, and digitalization technologies, including blockchain, for land administration and trade in Africa
• Implementation of the AfCFTA: Breaking investment and trade - land related barriers for inclusion of African women, pastoralists and youth
• Best practices in documenting customary and statutory land access, control and ownership in Africa
• Spatial planning, infrastructure, and transport planning for improved trade in Africa
• The confluence of the environment, (including climate change) agriculture and cross-border trade in the context of AfCFTA

Abstracts should be between 700 - 1000 words, written in English or French, and submitted online in Microsoft Word format before 29 July 2023. Abstracts that are more than 1000 words will not be considered for review. To submit an abstract, please use the following link: https://www.conftool.org/africalandconference2023/ and choose the submission type or a track of interest out of the 7 available options. Kindly pick only one track per submission.