AFRICA LIAISON PROGRAM INITIATIVE RWANDA

ALPI seeks to provide an additional venue (outside of the existing traditional contractual mechanisms) to USAID and its partners (local and international NGOs) to address some of the common challenges they face as institutions assisting the relief and development efforts in Africa. More especially, ALPI seeks to strengthen the collaboration between US NGOs, African NGOs, and USAID country Mission in implementing US assistance to Africa. The program is run by the American Council for Voluntary International (INTERACTION, a network of 165 US NGOs) but founded by USAID Washington. Five African countries were selected as pilot: Kenya, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and Rwanda (Coordinated by RISD)
ALPI objectives include, Promoting best practice in operational partnerships, supporting joint advocacy activities on issues of common interest, and supporting the exchange of professional expertise to enhance learning among all three stake holders.
The overall goal of ALPI Rwanda project is to strengthen the operational relationships between Rwandan NGOs, America NGOs operating in Rwanda and the country mission of the US Agency for Development in Rwanda (USAID), thereby improving the effectiveness of development policies and programming under the US foreign assistance to Rwanda.
Achievements

ALPI Rwanda managed to achieve the pre-set objectives to a greater extent. Most important, the level of knowledge and relationships among members has improved since ALPI provided an environment that inspired friendliness and openness to dialogue mutual knowledge and sharing of best practices. In addition, the capacity of NGOs has been built although more efforts are still needed to improve it better.

LAND POLICY IN AFRICA: A FRAMEWORK TO STRENGTHEN LAND RIGHTS, ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY AND SECURE LIVELIHOODS

In 2006, the AUC, the UNECA and the AfDB initiated a process for the development of a
framework and guidelines for land policy and land reform in Africa with a view to
strengthening land rights, enhancing productivity and securing livelihoods for the
majority of the continent’s population. That initiative was carried out by way of extensive
consultations involving the participation of RECs in all the five regions of the continent,
civil society organizations, centres of excellence in Africa and elsewhere, practitioners
and researchers in land policy development and implementation, government agencies
and Africa’s development partners. The final outcome of the initiative was then presented
before the formal decision-making processes of the AU for approval and adoption by the
Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2009.

The Framework and Guidelines (F&G) which follow are presented in seven interrelated
chapters. Chapter One provides the justification for and process followed in developing
the F&G. Chapter Two describes the context which has defined the nature and
characteristics of the land question in Africa in order to explain the reason why the land
sector has not played its primary role in the development process. That role is examined
in Chapter Three. Chapter Four sets out the key operational processes which African
countries will need to follow in order to develop comprehensive policies that would
enable the land sector to fully perform that role. Chapter Five analyses the difficulties
likely to be met and conditions necessary for the effective implementation of such
policies. Chapter Six discusses the measures which African countries may wish to put in
place to track progress in the development and implementation of those policies. The final
chapter is a concluding statement on how member countries of the AU might want to use
the F & G.