Arab Land Initiative Partners Meet to Shape 2026 2028 Priorities

On 5 October, Istidama joined Arab Land Initiative partners in Cairo for a strategic meeting before the Reference Group Meeting at the League of Arab States on 6-7 October. The gathering reviewed a decade of progress and discussed priorities for 2026-2028 with regional and international partners.

Land governance discussions are closely linked to how cities grow and how communities access land.

The strategic partners meeting was hosted by the Urban Training and Studies Institute UTI at the Housing & Building National Research Center premises. It was organised in collaboration with UN-Habitat, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, the League of Arab States, Al-Quds University, Cairo University, Habitat International Coalition, and the American University of Beirut.

The gathering provided a space for partners to take stock of the Arab Land Initiative’s first decade, assess its role in the Arab region, and consider how it can respond to emerging land governance priorities.

Partners reviewed the first decade of work

The meeting opened with a focus on the Initiative’s progress over the past ten years. Presentations by Eleonora Francesca Serpi and Ombretta Tempra highlighted key accomplishments, milestones, and lessons from the Initiative’s work across the region.

The review addressed the Initiative’s contribution to responsible, inclusive, and sustainable land governance. It also gave partners a shared basis for discussing what the next phase should prioritise.

Participants reflected on the Initiative’s strategic relevance and its position as a regional platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and coordinated action. The discussions reaffirmed its role in supporting land governance approaches that respond to social, economic, and environmental pressures across Arab countries.

The meeting placed special attention on regional ownership. Partners discussed how the Initiative can continue to be shaped by regional priorities while drawing on the technical experience and convening power of its wider network.

The 2026-2028 priorities took centre stage

A major part of the meeting focused on the strategic direction for 2026-2028. Partners discussed how the Arab Land Initiative can maintain momentum, strengthen its partnerships, and support more inclusive and resilient approaches to land governance.

The 2026-2028 discussion centred on several connected priorities:

• Strengthening regional ownership Partners stressed the need for Arab institutions, universities, civil society groups, and public actors to remain closely involved in setting the Initiative’s direction.

  
  

• Building deeper partnerships The meeting pointed to the value of cooperation between regional organisations, academic institutions, international agencies, and local actors working on land-related issues.

  
  

• Supporting long-term sustainability Participants discussed the need for continued commitment and planning to help the Initiative remain active and useful beyond short project cycles.

  
  

• Mobilising resources Partners identified resource mobilisation as a key requirement for sustaining the Initiative’s work and expanding its impact.

  
  

Partners reviewed regional priorities through the lens of land access, housing, and urban growth.

These priorities reflect the Initiative’s wider aim of promoting land governance that is responsible, inclusive, and sustainable. They also point to the growing need for approaches that can support resilience in the face of urban expansion, displacement, climate pressures, and unequal access to land and housing.

Open dialogue focused on relevance and future direction

Following the presentations, participants took part in an open dialogue on the Initiative’s future. The discussion explored how the Arab Land Initiative can sharpen its role, improve its visibility, and continue to contribute to regional debate and action.

Partners considered how the Initiative can remain relevant in a changing policy environment. Land governance is closely linked to many of the region’s pressing issues, including urban development, housing, tenure security, climate adaptation, food systems, and the management of public and private land.

The discussion also addressed the Initiative’s positioning. Partners examined how it can continue to serve as a bridge between research, policy, and practice. Academic institutions, United Nations entities, civil society networks, and regional bodies each bring different strengths. The meeting highlighted the value of connecting those strengths through a common platform.

The dialogue reaffirmed the Initiative’s critical role in advancing land governance that is more transparent, participatory, and responsive to community needs.

The 4th Arab Land Conference was also discussed

The meeting included a brief discussion on the 4th Arab Land Conference. Partners explored opportunities for hosting and sponsorship, along with ways to enhance the conference’s impact, visibility, and contribution to regional dialogue.

The Arab Land Conference is expected to remain an important platform for bringing together public institutions, experts, researchers, civil society, and development partners concerned with land governance. The discussion on its next edition focused on how it can support practical exchange and encourage more coordinated regional action.

Partners considered how the next conference could build on lessons from the Initiative’s first decade. They also discussed ways to make the event more visible and connected to wider regional policy conversations.

The meeting built momentum ahead of the Reference Group Meeting

The 5 October strategic partners meeting took place one day before the Reference Group Meeting at the League of Arab States, General Secretariat, on 6-7 October. This timing gave partners an opportunity to align views, review progress, and identify shared messages before the broader Reference Group discussions.

The meeting also showed the value of sustained cooperation among institutions working on land governance in the Arab region. The organisers and partners represented a wide set of perspectives, including urban development, housing, research, public policy, regional cooperation, and civil society advocacy.

That mix of experience is central to the Initiative’s work. Land governance challenges rarely sit within one sector. They often touch planning, justice, finance, environment, agriculture, local administration, and social protection. A regional platform can help connect these areas and encourage more coherent responses.

Next steps will focus on ownership, sustainability, and impact

Looking ahead, partners stressed the need to strengthen the foundations that will support the Arab Land Initiative over the coming years. The priorities discussed in Cairo point to a future phase grounded in stronger regional ownership, wider partnerships, and clearer resource planning.

The meeting reaffirmed the Initiative’s role as a regional space for dialogue and coordination. It also set the tone for the 2026-2028 period, with partners focused on sustaining progress and increasing the Initiative’s contribution to more inclusive and resilient land governance across the Arab region.

The next phase will depend on continued collaboration, practical resource mobilisation, and a shared commitment to land governance that supports people, places, and long-term regional stability.