South Sudan reviews national land policy

South Sudan’s national land policy has been reviewed to better guide land acquisition and management in the country.

The review was conducted during a two-day consultative workshop for members of the Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA) in Juba, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization on the theme “Building consensus for a national land policy”.

Opening the workshop, Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development Michael Chiangjiek said the workshop ensured lawmakers had a better understanding of the draft policy.

Jiang Jieke said, “The national land policy that the South Sudanese people have been waiting for for a long time is indeed very necessary, because the lack of this policy will restrict development in other areas.”

He added: “Our MPs are very open-minded and I hope they will have a productive debate on this.”

Speaker of Parliament Jemma Nunu Kumba said the workshop would enable MPs to formulate a national land policy that would promote peace, prosperity and progress.

“Today, we have the opportunity to address these challenges through a comprehensive and inclusive National Land Policy. This policy should aim to ensure equitable access to land, promote sustainable land use practices, and protect the rights of all citizens, including women, youth and marginalized groups. This vision should reflect our commitment to justice, equity and the rule of law,” Kumba said.

The new policy will address post-war conflicts over land rights, informal urban settlements, and land use rights for pastures and water sources.

The policy will address land grabbing, i.e. expropriation without regard for the interests of the right holders, and disagreements over district and Payam boundaries.