Africa Land Policy Conference to Confront Colonial Legacies, Reparations
- Africa Newsdesk
- Aug 25, 2025
- 4 min read
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — African Union member states, development partners, academics and civil society leaders will gather in Addis Ababa this November to discuss one of the continent’s most complex and politically charged issues: how land governance, justice and reparations intersect with Africa’s colonial past and its future development.
The 2025 Conference on Land Policy in Africa, scheduled for Nov. 10-14 at the headquarters of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, will run under the theme “Land Governance, Justice and Reparations for Africans and Descendants of the African Diaspora.”
The biennial event, jointly convened by the African Union Commission, the UN Economic Commission for Africa and the African Development Bank, is expected to draw government officials, traditional leaders, scholars and activists from across the continent.
A Focus on Justice and History
Organizers say this year’s theme reflects a growing recognition that Africa’s struggles with land tenure, displacement and inequality are rooted in centuries of dispossession. Slavery, colonial conquest and post-independence systems left deep scars that continue to shape economies and societies.
“Land is not only an economic resource, it is a cultural and spiritual one. Addressing historical injustices is central to addressing inequality today,” reads the conference’s concept note.
Sessions will explore how forced labor during the transatlantic slave trade, segregationist land laws and colonial redistribution of territory entrenched disparities. In Namibia, for example, German colonists seized vast tracts during the early 20th century; today an estimated 70 percent of agricultural land remains under descendants of German settlers.
Core Themes and Sub-Themes
The conference will center on three broad themes: developing responsive land policies, strengthening transparent institutions, and improving data monitoring of land governance.
Under these, participants will discuss sub-themes ranging from land tenure and reparative justice to climate resilience, restitution of cultural heritage and the role of international law in advancing reparations. Additional topics will include:
Colonialism’s impact on displacement, livelihoods and conflict.
The intersection of land, food security and agricultural systems.
The influence of colonial boundaries on economic justice and regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Challenges of pastoralism, tourism and sustainable livelihoods.
Cross-cutting discussions are expected on youth, gender, climate change and the urgent need for equitable land distribution.
Reparations and Global Development
The idea of reparations, often associated with financial redress, will be expanded at the conference to include access to land, heritage restitution and institutional reform. Advocates argue that redistribution or secure access to land could help redress structural inequalities inherited from slavery and colonialism.
Lessons from land redistribution programs in South Africa and New Zealand will be assessed as possible models. Panelists are also set to explore how climate change, migration and urbanization complicate already fragile tenure systems — and what reforms might ensure greater resilience.
Analysts note that the reparations debate is not confined to Africa. The global movement to return looted artifacts, for example, has gained momentum in Europe and North America, with museums beginning to repatriate cultural treasures to African nations. The conference will examine how restitution of heritage intersects with social identity, economic opportunity and community pride.
Contemporary Relevance
While rooted in historical injustices, the conference aims to connect land governance with current humanitarian and development challenges. Across Africa, weak tenure security fuels forced evictions, intercommunal disputes and barriers to investment in housing, agriculture and renewable energy.
Experts say these vulnerabilities also heighten risks during conflict and displacement. Millions of Africans uprooted by violence or climate shocks face protracted uncertainty over their right to return home or integrate locally. Organizers argue that stronger and more inclusive land governance is essential for durable solutions.
Urbanization presents another test. In many cities, descendants of enslaved or colonized populations face gentrification and rising housing costs, often linked to outdated or exclusionary planning systems. Conference debates will weigh how more inclusive urban land policies could mitigate inequality while spurring sustainable growth.
Partnerships and Participation
The Africa Land Policy Centre, which coordinates the event, is partnering with regional economic communities, universities, civil society groups and private sector associations. A scientific committee will guide peer-reviewed papers and master classes. Side events will include policy dialogues, exhibitions and networking opportunities.
A call for abstracts issued earlier this year is expected to yield research spanning law, economics, anthropology and climate science. The aim, organizers say, is to build a stronger evidence base for reforms that balance restitution, justice and economic transformation.
Looking Ahead
As the African Union pursues its 2025 Theme of the Year — centered on land, justice and reparations — the Addis Ababa gathering is being billed as a milestone moment. For many, it offers not only a forum for reflection on colonial legacies but also a chance to shape policy pathways that could influence land reform agendas for years to come.
The stakes are high: inequitable land access is tied to poverty reduction, food security, conflict prevention and the continent’s broader development trajectory.
The conference will close with recommendations for AU member states, which observers say could inform both national land reforms and continental integration efforts.
Whether consensus emerges on reparations — and how to translate it into concrete action — remains uncertain. But for participants, the gathering represents an opportunity to confront the past while charting a more equitable future.
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