The UN Economic Commission for Africa is holding a two day Ad Hoc Experts Group Meeting (AEGM) on Land, Identity and Socio-Economic Transformation in Southern Africa in Zambia to interrogate the effects of land access, reform, ownership, markets and the modernization of agriculture in stimulating regional socio-economic transformation.

The overall objective of the AEGM will be to interrogate issues of land access, reform, tenure, utilization and ownership in relation to social identities (including of ethnic, race, class, gender, youth etc) focusing on how land can be efficiently utilized for rapid agricultural development and for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic transformation in the region.

The AEGM will be informed by the findings of a draft report on Land, Identity and Socio-Economic Transformation in Southern Africa commissioned by SRO-SA as well as by other expert interventionsat the meeting.

Over 30 participants from a broad spectrum of stakeholders including experts and academics working on land related issues, private sector, civil society organisations, member States (especially Ministries responsible for land and agriculture), SADC and COMESA Secretariats, the African Union, the African Development Bank, World Bank, and the United Nations agencies (FAO, UNIDO, UNDP, etc.) have been invited.

For more information Contact:

Ms. Lavender Degre,

Communication Officer,

ECA Southern Africa Office,

Lusaka, Zambia.

lavender.degre@un.org

OR

Mr. Bedson Nyoni

Senior Information Management Assistant

ECA Southern Africa Office

Email: nyonib@un.org

williamsnyoni@gmail.com