Analysing Land Law Reform

摘要

Even a cursory review of current writing about Africa - in books, journals, 'grey' literature, reports by the news media and by many advocacy, activist and lobbying groups - would reveal the degree to which land has become a central motif. Reasons for this surge in attention include documentation across Africa of intensifying competition and conflict over land; the role of contestation over land and land-based resources in national politics and in numerous civil conflicts and wars; the increased interest of foreign governments and businesses in resources of timber and minerals; the recent spate of acquisitions of arable land (with access to water) by foreign agents in collaboration with representatives of African governments and other influential individual and corporate national entities; and the move of foreign finance companies into land speculation.