Partnering for improved land governance in Kenya with ISK

11 July 2018 - Nairobi. The UN Habitat and the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to guide future collaboration on improving land governance in Kenya.

Since 1969, ISK brings together land surveying professionals to contribute to land management in a manner that facilitates sustainable development.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, ISK Chair Mr. Abraham Samoei noted the current land tenure security challenges in Kenya, where increasing pressure on urban land demands sustainable land management. He confirmed ISK’s role as professionals in support of the government’s current efforts to implement the National Land Policy, using fit for purpose land tools to improve land management with focus on the minority, the poor and women. On behalf of UN Habitat, the Coordinator a.i. of the Urban Legislation, Land and Governance Branch Mr. Oumar Sylla noted the critical role that land professionals play in guiding governments to identify emerging gaps and best investments for efficient service delivery towards land tenure security.  He reiterated the importance of combining efforts of all relevant stakeholders and the need for a new paradigm approach to achieve the Big 4 Agenda in Kenya. The expected outcome of the collaboration includes increased stakeholder awareness on land tenure and governance, building surveyors’ knowledge on use of fit-for-purpose and inclusive land administration methods, and joint research on land matters towards the overall improvement of land governance in Kenya. The MoU will be implemented though the GLTN Secretariat as facilitated by UN Habitat until 2022.