JICA-RI Researchers Discuss Land and Property Issues in Conflict-Affected Countries with Experts in Washington D.C.

Focusing on land and property issues in conflict-affected countries, the research project compares experiences through case studies including Rwanda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Timor-Leste. The project analyzes key policy interventions and makes proposals for the following policies: securing land and housing for people, particularly returnees; creating land and property dispute resolution; and protecting vulnerable people’s rights to land.
Experts from each organization expressed a great interest in the research findings, and actively exchanged a variety of opinions. Many pointed out that development organizations should improve their understanding of land governance, while some highlighted that land acquisition by private investors has become a major problem. As countermeasures against these issues, they discussed how to promote awareness among both governments and private sector, suggesting some concrete measures, such as an assessment framework for land governance proposed by the World Bank (LGAF).