ABIDJAN, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cote d'Ivoire aims to become a leading African hub for land tenure security to drive sustainable development and social cohesion, Ivorian Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Production Bruno Nabagne Kone said Tuesday.
Kone made the remarks when announcing the inaugural Abidjan Land Tenure Days scheduled for Oct. 5-7. The event is expected to bring together representatives from public administrations and the land and private sectors, technical and financial partners, and experts from 14 countries.
The event aims to position Cote d'Ivoire as a key platform for land-related issues in Africa, facilitating the exchange of experiences to promote better land management, according to Kone.
He stressed that land tenure security is an essential lever for productive investment, job creation, and sustainable development.
Kone noted that Cote d'Ivoire now has about 23 million hectares of rural land requiring tenure security, with 8,631 villages remaining undemarcated, roughly 1.5 million land certificates yet to be issued, and an equal number of agricultural contracts yet to be formalized.
The minister called for accelerated reforms through appropriate financing, faster digitalization, the conversion of land certificates into land titles, and more equitable access to land for women and youth.
Cote d'Ivoire established a legal framework governing rural land in 1998. It recognizes customary land rights and formalizes them through the issuance of land certificates. ■