Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in Africa.

The Heads of States and Government of the African Union, met at the 13th Ordinary Session in Sirte, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, from 1 to 3 July 2009 reaffirming the commitments made to poverty eradication with the view to raising the living standards of peoples and the wellbeing of future generations. They undertake to: 1. prioritise, initiate and lead land policy development and implementation processes in the countries, notwithstanding the extent of multi-stakeholder contribution to such processes involving also civil society and private sector; 2. support the emergence of the institutional framework required for the effective development and implementation of land policy and implementation; 3. allocate adequate budgetary resources for land policy development and implementation processes, including the monitoring of progress.They resolve to: 1. ensure that land laws provide for equitable access to land and related resources among all land users including the youth and other landless and vulnerable groups such as displaced persons; and 2. strengthen security of land tenure for women which require special attention.