Exploring reparations and people-centred land governance outcomes from the CLPA 2025
From 10–13 November 2025, more than 430 delegates from 30 African countries and the diaspora gathered in Addis Ababa for the 6th Conference on Land Policy in Africa (CLPA), convened under the bold theme: “Land Governance, Justice, and Reparations for Africans and Descendants of the African Diaspora.” The theme aligned with the African Union’s 2025 focus on justice and reparations, positioning CLPA as the continent’s most important platform for confronting the historical and contemporary land injustices that continue to shape Africa’s development trajectory.
For ILC Africa, CLPA 2025 was more than an event; it was a strategic moment to reaffirm our commitment to people-centred land governance, amplify the voices of our members, and shape continental narratives leading into a milestone year for global land and climate agendas.
A stronger collective voice for land justice
Across plenaries, masterclasses, side events, and exhibitions, one message rang loud and clear:
Africa must define its own future of land governance, rooted in justice, historical accountability, and community rights.
The CLPA 2025 Call-to-Action, endorsed by governments, CSOs, traditional authorities, academia, and development partners, highlighted several priorities, including:
- Integrating reparations, restitution, and cultural heritage recovery into national policy frameworks
- Strengthening customary tenure systems and closing statutory customary gaps
- Enhancing multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) to ensure the meaningful participation of women, youth, pastoralists, and grassroots actors
- Supporting African-led data systems, research, and digital innovations
- Leveraging upcoming global processes, among them ICARRD+20, IYRP 2026, IYWF, the Rio Conventions, and COP processes, to elevate Africa’s voice on land justice
As a co-organiser, ILC played a pivotal role in shaping these conversations, convening members, and elevating the practical experiences of the networks we support across the continent.
ILC Africa’s contributions: Elevating members, catalysing change
Throughout the week, ILC Africa supported and participated in various sessions, side events, bilateral engagements, and learning exchanges that underscored the centrality of multi-stakeholder partnerships in driving sustainable, inclusive land reforms.
Key contributions included:
- Facilitating meaningful participation of ILC members and constituency groups, especially from West Africa
- Highlighting gender justice, youth engagement, and community-led stewardship through our members’ stories
- Informing the CLPA Call-to-Action with insights from ILC’s long-standing work on multi-stakeholder platforms, land data, climate justice, rangelands governance, and territorial rights
- Strengthening ties with strategic partners, including German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Irish Embassy in Ethiopia, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Irene M. Staehelin (IMS) Foundation, West African Economic & Monetary Union (UEMOA), Africa Land Policy Centre / United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ALPC)/UNECA, The World Bank Group, African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), and others
For many members, CLPA served as a rare space to directly influence continental policy narratives and connect with allies working across research, policy, and advocacy.
Key outcomes relevant to ILC Africa’s 2026–2027 priorities
CLPA 2025 outcomes directly reinforce and inform the network’s upcoming priorities. Below are the major intersections:
International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) 2026
The Call-to-Action places major emphasis on pastoralism, customary tenure, and climate-resilient land use; themes central to ILC Africa’s IYRP strategy. CLPA validated the need to elevate pastoralist voices and push for regional and national-level policy dialogues in 2026.
African Year of Women Farmers (IYWF) 2026
Stakeholders reiterated that securing women’s land rights must be foundational to justice and reparations. This aligns with ILC Africa’s work through Stand for Her Land (S4HL), women-led data systems, and gender transformative approaches.
ICARRD+20 (2026) & Food Systems Transition
With renewed attention on land rights as an enabler of food security, equity, and climate resilience, CLPA’s outcomes feed into ILC Africa’s role in shaping Africa’s position ahead of ICARRD+20.
Strengthening Multi-Stakeholder Platforms and National Land Coalitions
MSPs emerged as a top priority in the call-to-Action. This reinforces ILC Africa’s long-standing investment in NLCs and the need to:
- Expand MSP participation
- Strengthen evidence generation
- Support cross-country learning through EC-PLACE, McKnight, and the Global Land Observatory
Land, Climate, & Biodiversity Integration
CLPA highlighted the urgent need to link land tenure to climate processes, a core dimension of ILC’s Rio Conventions technical guide. This will shape ILC Africa’s engagement in COP processes and climate land dialogues in 2026–2027.
African-Led Data, Knowledge, & Research
The emphasis on African Land Data Sovereignty aligns directly with ILC’s data work through the Global Land Observatory, community-generated data, and land observatories.
Partnerships & Resource Mobilization
Bilateral meetings at the CLPA confirmed strong interest in:
- NLC Climate Catalyst
- Women’s Land Rights work
- Joint events in 2026
- Collaboration in national dialogues
- Strengthening multi-stakeholder platforms and data systems.
These partnerships will be instrumental as ILC Africa scales its work across 2026–2027.
Looking ahead: Turning commitments into action.
As CLPA 2025 came to a close, its outcomes provide a robust foundation for the years ahead. For ILC Africa, the next two years present unparalleled opportunities to advance justice-driven, people-centred land governance through:
- IYRP 2026 and IYWF
- ICARRD+20
- Strengthened MSPs and NLCs
- Climate-land integration
- African-led land data systems
- Women’s land rights and youth leadership
- Community-centred policy dialogues across EC-PLACE, McKnight, and national initiatives
CLPA 2025 underscored a simple truth:
Africa cannot achieve justice, resilience, or development without fair, inclusive, and secure land rights.
ILC Africa remains committed to working alongside its members, partners, and communities to ensure that the commitments made in Addis Ababa translate into real change on the ground, in laws, practices, and people’s lives.
