Recently published: How to conceptualize a PPP for land administration services

This paper was recently published in the December issue of the Coordinates Magazine co-authored between Land Equity International and Planet Partnerships. It is an updated version of the earlier work published under the 2020 World Bank Annual Land and Poverty Conference and the 2020 FIG working week – both events having been cancelled due to the COVID Pandemic.

Beginning of abstract taken from Coordinates magazine, December 2021

To successfully operationalize PPPs in land administration, it is critical to examine and assess the commercial feasibility of each proposed transaction inclusion.

It’s all the buzz, but where do we start? There is a large train moving that suggests that Land Administration Services can be transformed by adopting a public private-partnership (PPP) model, but when we get into the details, it’s not so clear cut for many jurisdictions. The underlying principles and precepts applicable to best practice for PPPs require a deeper understanding of the land administration context, due to the barriers of implementation in a developing country. During reviews and design of Analytical and Operational Frameworks (World Bank 2020) under the World Bank commissioned Land PPP project, the team noticed a significant gap between a country’s readiness and general interest in exploring a PPP approach, and the available data and preparedness to develop a strong and well conceptualised vision. Overlooking critical steps in PPP design and implementation, as well inadequately understanding private sector partner interests and values,
are shortcomings that underpin many of the limited available case studies. This paper uses the experience from drafting the Costing and Financing Land Administration Systems (CoFLAS) Tool (UN-HABITAT, 2015), drafting and piloting the Operational Toolkit, and the Land PPP consultation process (2018-2019), to provide practical takeaways for governments, development partners and private sector implementers. The experience highlighted how essential the conceptualisation of a Land PPP is to project validation, risk evaluation and likelihood of success.

Read the full article here.