The project planning retreat and steering committee meetings intend to provide an opportunity to the participants to reflect on the progress of the project, share countries and regional economic communities’ experiences of the implementation of the AU declaration on land and approve the revised 2016 work plan and budget. Specifically, the project planning retreat and project steering committee meetings intends to achieve the following objectives: Review progress of the project; Share country and RECs experiences on the implementation of the AU Declaration on land; and organize the second project steering committee meeting of the project for guidance and approval of project work plan and budget for 2016.

The expected outcomes of the meetings are: Project progress reviewed; Countries and RECs experiences on the implementation of the AU Declaration on land shared; Project Steering Committee meeting organized; and Project work plan and budget of 2016 reviewed and approved.

The meetings are expected to bring together 31 participants from the IGAD Secretariat, IGAD Member States representatives, LPI staff, SDC and representatives from the two RECs –Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), CSO platform, farmer’s organization and RCMRD.