LEI Secures a Contract to Manage the Mama Graon – Vanuatu Land Program

The importance of land, its role in custom and the land issues facing the people of Vanuatu were highlighted during a National Land Summit held in 2006. To work towards addressing the issues raised at the Land Summit the Government of Vanuatu requested support from the Australian and New Zealand Governments. LEI have been involved in a number of interim support initiatives through both AusAID and NZAID. Following a bidding process for implementation of the Mama Graon – Vanuatu Land Program , LEI signed a contract with AusAID in December 2010.

Mama Graon came about through a strategic Government of Vanuatu long term initiative aimed at improving decision making, making land transactions more transparent, improving land management procedures and practices, and in doing so minimising the potential for land conflict. In supporting the Government of Vanuatu initiative, AusAID and the New Zealand Government have harmonized their support for the land sector activities.

Program Director, Chris Lunnay who is now based in Port Vila, immediately notes the Program differences compared to previous large projects he’s worked on over the past 20 yrs. Notably, that a strategic plan (the Land Sector Framework) to implement land sector reforms in Vanuatu exists, and is providing a foundation to guide government, and both the private sector and civil society are active in the use and management of Vanuatu’s land resources. Secondly, the Vanuatu Land Governance Committee is established and held its first official meeting on 16 December 2010 (attended by Chris) to provide strategic program guidance. In addition, a number of Working Groups are also operational in the areas of community, education, land use planning and strata legislation.