Bénin

PRESENTATION OF WAEMU COMMISSION AT THE SEMINAR OF WEST AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARIANS ON AFRICAN LAND INITIATIVES

Bénin

Burkina Faso

Côte-d'Ivoire

Guinea-Bissau

Mali

Niger

Senegal

TogoWEST AFRICAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY UNION

IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF LAND IN THE PROCESS OF REGIONAL

INTEGRATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN WEST AFRICA:

WAEMU INITIATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR GOOD LAND GOVERNANCE

PLAN

• Brief recapitulation of WAEMU• Major WAEMU Reforms related to land

issues• Stakes and challenges for WAEMU• WAEMU study on rural land issue in the

face of challenges to integration• Regional Land Observatory• Conclusion

-- 3.5 million Km² 3.5 million Km² - - 81 million inhabitants81 million inhabitants- - 33% GDP of West Africa33% GDP of West Africa- - Population (60% < 25 years)Population (60% < 25 years)

BRIEF RECAPITULATION OF WAEMU

TogoTogo

BeninBenin

Burkina Burkina FasoFaso

SenegalSenegal

MaliMali

Guinea Guinea BissauBissau

Côte Côte d’Ivoired’Ivoire

NigerNiger

BRIEF RECAPITULATION OF WAEMU (continued)

OBJECTIVES

Strengthen economic competitiveness in an open market and a harmonised legal environment

Converge performances and economic policies of Member States

Create a common market with the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons and the right for people to exercise an independent or paid activity;

Coordinate national sectorial policies and implement common sectorial policies;

Harmonise the laws of Member States in the economic domain

MAJOR WAEMU REFORMS RELATED TO LAND ISSUES

1. The Common Agricultural Policy (C.A.P) adopted in 2001 in Dakar

Objective

Contribute in a sustainable manner to satisfy the food

needs of the population, to the economic and social

development of Member States and to poverty

reduction


1. The Common Agricultural Policy (continued)

Axes of intervention axis 1: Adapt production systems and improve the production

environment axis 2: Deepen the common market into the agricultural sector

and manage shared resources axis 3: Insert agriculture into the regional and world market


2. The common market

Objective

• Eliminate in the trade between member countries,

customs duties, quantitative restrictions at entry and

exit, taxes having equivalent effects and all other

measures of equivalent effects likely to affect these

transactions (free movement of goods)


2. The common market (continued)

• Establish a common external tarrif (CET)

• Implement the principles of the free movement of

persons, establishment and provision of services as well

as that of the free movement of capital


3. The policy of the development of community territory (PDCT)

Objective

Introduce and strengthen between the different national

and community policies, the convergence, coherence and

harmony necessary for a sustainable and balanced

development to the Union.


Among the specific objectives

- ensuring the consistency of common sectoral policies;

- the optimum use, exploitation and development of

areas, natural resources, large-scale facilities plans, as

well as regional dynamics on a complementarity basis

WAEMU STAKES AND CHALLENGES

• The provisions of the Treaty and some reforms concern the

Union on land issues 1. Adapted and efficient land systems What effects to expect?

> Capital attractive: investment growth: contribution to productivity

and agricultural production improvement: renewed interest for

land markets hence of the Union market; (PAU, MC objectives)

WAEMU STAKES AND CHALLENGES

Contribution to the exploitation and development

of rural areas: promotion of a balanced

development of the Union’s territory (PATC

objectives)

WHY A STUDY ON RURAL LAND

1. Context and justification• Context of numerous land initiatives

– CILSS conferences (Praia 1994/ Bamako 2003)– World Bank study (2004)– EU Guidelines (2004)…

• Confirmation of integration initiatives – ICARD/ FAO– LPI/ AU- AEC- AfDB…

• Emerging phenomena – Food crisis – Energy crisis (Use of land for biofuel)

– African land rush


1. Context and justification (continued)• WAEMU: accelerate integration

– competitiveness; common market– Convergence; common actions; harmonisation…

• Land issues of the process – Concerted management of cross-border natural

resources– Migration and transborder transhumance– Common market: Common policies (PAU; PATC…);

free movement; right of establishment


• 1. Context and justification (continued)

• Demography: Towards a doubling of the population in

2050

• Migrations: internal/external movements

• Urbanisation: a soon-to-be predominantly urban

population

• Globalisation and confrontation at international markets


2. Objective

• Begin a preliminary informative reflection;

• Question the comparative advantages of the Union;

• That should lead to more in-depth analyses on land

connection and regional integration;

• And lead to directions / recommendations to WAEMU

and the Member States for sustained and concerted

action with regard to land


• 3. Action

- Documentary study in 2004

- Re-updating in 2009

- Regional validation workshop by the role players

- New road map

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STUDY

• The WAEMU Commission, executive body of the Union,

positions itself as a facilitator and assistant of the

national land processes under way in its Member States;

• WAEMU must especially work towards the promotion of

national land reforms compatible with the Union’s

objectives (creation of a common market)

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMANDATIONS OF THE STUDY

The action plan was adopted around four main areas of intervention:

• Axis 1: Appropriation of the WAEMU initiative by Member States and strategic partners; dissemination of the study / organization of technical workshops on the axes of intervention;

• Working visits within the States (needs; priorities; topics of common interest);

• Cooperation with sub regional organizations (ECOWAS); CILSS; BCEAO; BOAD; OHADA; AU…).

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMANDATIONS OF THE STUDY

• Axis 2: Implementation of a structure of documentation,

information, monitoring-evaluation and decision

support: Regional Land Observatory in West Africa

(ORFAO).

• Axis 3: Support to the strengthening of regional

capacities in matters relating to land.

• Axis 4 : Assistance to Member States regarding the

promotion and regulation of land markets.

REGIONAL LAND OBSERVATORY IN WEST AFRICA

- Objectives:• Within the context of the WAEMU, the Observatory will

play an informative and advisory role on land issues, provide decision support and the progressive harmonisation of policies as well as provide advice in matters relating to land policies;

• The Observatory should also contribute to the collaborative/concerted identification of in-depth topics, the establishment of task forces and the organisation of regular technical workshops


- Objectives(continued)• for the construction of common positions on strategic

land issues such as those relating to the new land rush or those relating to climate change.

• Another component that would support the Observatory would be the development and experimentation of common indicators for monitoring-evaluation of policies and legislation


- Main tasks of the Observatory:

• Compile relevant and up-to-date land documentation

and ensure the flow of information at the level of the

Member States of WAEMU;

• Ensure implementation and circulation of studies on

common land problems or those felt by the Member

States of WAEMU, and


- Main tasks of the Observatory (continued):

- Identify the relevant response routes for submission for

consideration by the States;

- Support documentation, capitalisation and dissemination

of good practices from the pilot experiences of innovative

land management;


Main tasks of the Observatory (continued):

• Promote the development of land indicators and

monitoring-evaluation activities of the implementation of

land policies and legislation in the Union.


• A feasibility study would allow for the definition of the

institutional contours of the Observatory, specify its

intervention scope and the modalities of its operation.

CONCLUSION

The process has begun, which indicates a strong political

will. It has to be pursued by implicating all players

concerned with the issue of rural land.

It is also necessary to maintain highly effective

communication around this central but very sensitive

issue for economic and social integration at the

regional level.

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

Bénin

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