12 May 2015: The 2015 Global Land Forum opened in Dakar, Senegal, with a day dedicated to showcasing responsible land governance practices in Africa. Highlighting Senegal’s land governance reform process that seeks to contribute to the country’s efforts to achieve food security, Amadou Kanouté, Executive Director of the host organization, CICODEV (Pan African Institute for Consumer Citizenship and Development), expressed hope that the Forum will provide an impetus for joint land reform efforts across all regions in Africa.

Mike Taylor, Director, International Land Coalition (ILC), lauded Senegal’s efforts, saying “…they are taking very seriously the need to consult widely on such an important issue as how Senegal’s land should be used for the benefit of all.”

The 2015 Forum, which takes place from 12-16 May 2015, focuses on strategies to ensure that land policies are more inclusive and protect the rights of marginalized communities, while contributing to sustainable land management. Around 700 land stakeholders from government, community and non-governmental organizations, research organizations, development agencies and funding organizations from 80 countries are attending the Forum.

Held every two years, the Global Land Forum is organized by the ILC, a global action network supported by the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the European Commission, among others, to advance understanding of the complex and dynamic political, economic, environmental and societal linkages between land governance, food security, poverty and democracy. [Forum Website] [Africa Day Brochure] [International Land Coalition Press Release] [CICODEV Website]