(Ecofin Agency) - The ministers of East African countries (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda) approved a cooperation partnership between East African Community’s (EAC) Secretariat and the African Land Policy Center (ALPC). This was during the 5th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Environment and Natural Resources Management held between February 5-9, 2018, in Arusha, Tanzania. 

 ““I would like to laud the efforts of senior officials, Permanent Secretaries and Ministers who have worked hard this week, culminating in key decisions to advance regional cooperation among our Partner States on key sectors that promote economic development and natural resource management,” said Sam Mangusho Cheptories, Uganda’s water and environment minister, chairing the meeting.

 According to Joan Kagwanja, ALPC’s coordinator, “this is a ground breaking moment for the region as the partnership will launch a project on capacity building of EAC to implement the AU declaration on land issues and challenges in Africa, beginning with platforms for exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences and best practices to advance land policy formulation, implementation and monitoring in accordance with the AU Declaration on Land”.

The African Land Policy Center (ALPC) is a tripartite consortium program of the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) in charge of coordinating the implementation of the African Union’s declaration on land Issues and Challenges in Africa.