Access To Land And Tenure Security In Ethiopia’S Ethnic-Based Administration System

 Ethiopia follows a federal state administrative structure. Regional states are organized on ethnic basis. The country has over 85 ethnic groups and languages, but only majority ethnic groups, with few exceptions, have their own standalone regional states.The Constitution of the country categorizes land as a public property and gives land administration responsibilities to regional states. Although the Constitution confirms land access right to all citizens, regional states’ constitutions and land laws put restrictions to prioritize residents.  The paper aims at revealing some of the linkage between ethnic-based federalism and its impact on access to land and tenure security. By gathering and analyzing evidence from literatures and land experts, the paper provides with important recommendations for the way forward helping to improve access to land and tenure security for all.Initiate literature review and observation of the dynamics in access to land and tenure security led to a quick survey among land experts. About 25 experts who have knowledge and experience in the country’s land administration system responded to survey questions.  After data was collected and compiled, a simple descriptive statistics method was used to analyze and generate understandable, tangible, and acceptable results.Findings from the survey indicated that regional and local authorities’ unfair treatment towards people coming outside of regional states discourages investment and provokes conflict. The country experienced hundreds of conflicts since ethnic-based federalism was introduced in 1991. In addition to ethnic categorization, the conflicts have their root in landholding arrangements.Although there are major steps being taken in reforming the macroeconomy including privatizing government owned enterprises like telecom, it is not yet clear if the government will continue to reform the land tenure system and ethnic-based federalism. Respondents in the survey indicated that the current land tenure and governance systems need changes allowing free movement of citizens, encouraging investment, prevailing peace, and improving access to land and tenure security.