ABSTRACT
Historically, land tenure policy and legal frameworks in Ethiopia have been silent on the rights of pastoralists to access key resources and to move freely between these in seasons of need. This chapter critically assesses the recent efforts and whether they indicate a promising pathway to better protect pastoral land rights. Officially, the land policy seeks to ensure secure land use rights and specify obligations of pastoralists, agro-pastoralists, investors and other users to prevent and reduce land-related conflicts, and ensure sustainable land uses through public participation. Officials in Afar Regional State initiated a process to formulate a policy and administrative land tenure framework in 2006. Administrative capacities to implement the Afar land law are weak, which will also complicate effective regulation and enforcement of the provisions in the proclamation. Regional authorities established an Environmental Protection, Land Administration and Use Agency, which is mandated to administer all rural lands and implement provisions in the lands proclamation.
