South Sudan unveils land policy to end rampant land wrangles

South Sudan’s government on Tuesday unveiled the national land policy to establish sustainable legal framework for protecting public, individual and community land.

 Michael Chiengjiek, the National Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said the land policy is going to resolve several issues of land disputes.

“We believe that this policy will resolve and reconcile conflicts including individual or communal disputes related to land,” said Chiengjiek during consultative workshop on national land policy at Imperial Plaza Hotel in Juba.

Meshack Malo, the Country Representative for United Nations Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) said the land policy will ensure efficiency and effectiveness in land administration, adding that it will resolve issues related to land tenure.

“Land policy will ensure efficient and effective land administration, land tenure and use of land-based resources for sustainable economic development by people of South Sudan,” said Malo.

Robert Benjamin, the Chairperson of the South Sudan Land Commission revealed that the land belongs to the people of South Sudan and its usage is regulated by government.

 “All lands and subterranean natural resources in the country are owned by the people of South Sudan, and its usage is regulated by the government, the land policy will ensure the government regulates land use for the benefit of the people of South Sudan,”  said Benjamin.