NAIROBI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The UN-Habitat on Monday called on governments to enact land policies to help reduce land cases conflicts.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN-Habitat, said that for every development project to be successfully undertaken there is need for peace and stability.
"Land is an important factor in human settlement and therefore crisis associated with it hinders development agenda," Sharif told journalists at a media briefing on the sidelines of the UN Habitat assembly in Nairobi.
She said that unsettled land cases that were initially associated with rural areas are blamed today for a number of crises and underdevelopment in urban set ups.
Sharif noted that cases of land grabbing and climate change are the lead contributing factor to food insecurity in most developing countries.
"I am appealing to donor partners and the private sector to help governments reduce cases of land conflicts that has forced majority of populations to live in abject poverty," she added.
Sharif observed that with unresolved conflicts, many developing countries may not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Aniefiok Johnson, Chief of Staff, Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes region said that the UN is currently involved in the promotional of dialogue in the region.
"We are engaging with the governments of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Burundi to find a lasting peaceful co-existence within the Great Lakes region," he said.
Johnson said that the UN has embarked on securing land rights to returnees and encouraging regional investment and trade meetings.
The week-long UN Habitat Assembly which kicked off in Nairobi on Monday attracted more than 3,000 delegates from 116 countries across the world.
According to the Global Land Tool Network, competition and conflict over land and land based natural resources will intensify with the growing pressures of climate change, population growth, food insecurity, migration and rapid urbanization.
