KENYA: AMECEA hosts Pan African Conference on Land Grabbing
The much anticipated Pan African Conference on Land Grabbing is
set to begin on 22nd November, 2015 ahead of the Papal Visit to
Kenya. The three-day Conference organized by the Symposium of Episcopal
Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), in collaboration with Africa
Faith & Justice Network (AFJN), and other partners including International
Cooperation for Development and Solidarity (CIDSE), Catholic Relief Services
(CRS), Oxfam and Action Aid among others will be held in Limuru town,
approximately 25 Kilometers from Nairobi City, the Capital of Kenya.
set to begin on 22nd November, 2015 ahead of the Papal Visit to
Kenya. The three-day Conference organized by the Symposium of Episcopal
Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), in collaboration with Africa
Faith & Justice Network (AFJN), and other partners including International
Cooperation for Development and Solidarity (CIDSE), Catholic Relief Services
(CRS), Oxfam and Action Aid among others will be held in Limuru town,
approximately 25 Kilometers from Nairobi City, the Capital of Kenya.
Among the dignitaries expected at the Conference include H.E.
Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace and Vice Chairman of AMECEA Most Rev. Thomas Msusa,
Archbishop of Blantyre Malawi. In addition, there are representatives from the
Kenyan Government as well as the African Union (AU) are also expected to attend
the Conference whose delegates are drawn from all over the world.
Peter Kodwo Appiah Cardinal Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace and Vice Chairman of AMECEA Most Rev. Thomas Msusa,
Archbishop of Blantyre Malawi. In addition, there are representatives from the
Kenyan Government as well as the African Union (AU) are also expected to attend
the Conference whose delegates are drawn from all over the world.
According to AMECEA Justice, Peace and Caritas Coordinator, Mr.
Antony Mbandi, the Land issue in Africa or elsewhere is very much related to
what has come out in the Papal Encyclical Laudato Si. “We are talking about the issues of natural resources and the
over-exploitations. When you look at the human greed around land grabbing,
people are amassing huge trucks of land and this is not just a common
phenomenon in Africa but also in other parts of the world especially the
developing countries.”
Antony Mbandi, the Land issue in Africa or elsewhere is very much related to
what has come out in the Papal Encyclical Laudato Si. “We are talking about the issues of natural resources and the
over-exploitations. When you look at the human greed around land grabbing,
people are amassing huge trucks of land and this is not just a common
phenomenon in Africa but also in other parts of the world especially the
developing countries.”
“The idea we are trying to come up with and which the Conference
is going to address is to shed light on this one particular resource that
cannot be replenished and how it is being abused and misused,” Mr. Mbandi said.
He further added that the sessions will bring together views of communities
affected by land grabs, as well as their strategies resisting the loss of land
and livelihood. This will be supplemented by expert opinion. Participants will
also be invited to share their own experiences of facing land grabs.
is going to address is to shed light on this one particular resource that
cannot be replenished and how it is being abused and misused,” Mr. Mbandi said.
He further added that the sessions will bring together views of communities
affected by land grabs, as well as their strategies resisting the loss of land
and livelihood. This will be supplemented by expert opinion. Participants will
also be invited to share their own experiences of facing land grabs.
The Conference will have presentations of a number of case studies
of land grabs in Africa that will demonstrate the impact of these land
investments on local communities (displacement, income, livelihoods of
farmers/pastoralists/ villagers, rural poverty, access to land & water)
local food security, the local economy and the environment.
of land grabs in Africa that will demonstrate the impact of these land
investments on local communities (displacement, income, livelihoods of
farmers/pastoralists/ villagers, rural poverty, access to land & water)
local food security, the local economy and the environment.
The Conference will also feature policies that promote or
facilitate land acquisition by analyzing different case-studies related to the
development of policies in Africa at national or African level, as well as
international policies favoring large scale land acquisition.
facilitate land acquisition by analyzing different case-studies related to the
development of policies in Africa at national or African level, as well as
international policies favoring large scale land acquisition.
Apart from that it will also feature International and Local
players in land grabs by highlighting the role of foreign and domestic
companies in land grabbing, the role of foreign governments i.e. combining
resource diplomacy with land diplomacy and finally the role of national
governments in land grabbing. Finally, the Conference will highlight the fight
against land grabbing; what works or not as well as what can be applicable in
so far as the fight against land grabbing is concerned.
players in land grabs by highlighting the role of foreign and domestic
companies in land grabbing, the role of foreign governments i.e. combining
resource diplomacy with land diplomacy and finally the role of national
governments in land grabbing. Finally, the Conference will highlight the fight
against land grabbing; what works or not as well as what can be applicable in
so far as the fight against land grabbing is concerned.
Over 150 participants have confirmed attendance to the Conference
that will end on 26th November, 2015.
that will end on 26th November, 2015.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online
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