| A Joint Declaration on interactions between the Ministry of Lands and Housing and the Development Partners Group on Land was signed on 6 April 2004. The Declaration states that the partners will participate together in a National Land Policy Formulation process to promote an inclusive and interactive process involving all other Ministries closely related to land issues and relevant stakeholders. In terms of the Joint Declaration, the Ministry acknowledges and confirms its commitment to working with the Group, to ensure more effective management of the lands sector. The group and the Ministry acknowledge that secure land rights are critical to increasing productive investments in urban and rural Kenya, to encouraging the sound and sustainable management of land, natural resources and livelihoods and similarly; that secure access to land and other natural resources in urban and rural areas allows people, especially the poor, women and HIV/AIDS affected people, to both contribute and benefit from processes of economic growth and social transformation. Since the group’s first meeting in July 2003 there have been numerous meetings. 21 meetings have been in the company of the Minister of Land. In total, 21 different development partners are involved in the group. UN-HABITAT (Lars Reuterswärd, Director Global Division) is the chair of the Development Partners Group on Land in Kenya. The Land and Tenure Section constitute the secretariat. Furthermore, the group is participating in the following processes: - Preparations for the Consultative Group (CG) meetings
- Donor Coordination Group (DCG) chaired by the World Bank Country Director
- Harmonisation, Alignment and Coordination (HAC) group, chaired by the Swedish Ambassador and the Kenya Joint Assistance Strategy (KJAS)
- Contributions to the Kenyan PRSP/ERS 2003-2007.
- Contributions to the MoL Strategic Plan.
- Contributions to the MoL NLPFP concept paper
- Contributions to the MoL Land Information System (LIS) technical paper
The first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) supporting the joint financing arrangement for the National Land Policy Formulation Process was signed on 29th of June 2004 between (then) MoLH and development partners. The MoU explains that development partners will, for a period of 18 months contribute Ksh 147,000,865 for the specific purpose of supporting the Kenyan land policy formulation process (LPFP). The funds are managed by an independent Financial Management Agent (FMA). The extended MoU between the MoL and the development partners was signed in 2006, which will be extended until April 2007. The group of development partners is currently reviewing the land support programme and assessing how it may be extended to incorporate major programmes and activities currently supported by the MoL. For more information please contact: Clarissa Augustinus (Clarissa.Augustinus@unhabitat.org) |
