Land Governance in Ethiopia: Towards Evaluating Global Trends

Land is a vital resource and a driver of economic growth and development. The way it is governed and administered therefore has a significant impact on a certain country's future. Land and the institutions that govern its ownership and use greatly affect economic growth and contributes in poverty reduction. Lack of access to land and inefficient or corrupt systems of land administration have a negative impact on a country's investment climate and general wellbeing of the society. Well-functioning land institutions, land markets and easy access to credit facilities for entrepreneurs contributes for development. Land governance must help to eradicate poverty, not contribute to it. Hence, Ethiopia needs to have a land governance policy that fosters transfer of land rights, fosters respect for human rights, and rescues the environment from imminent peril in line with the principles of sustainable development. Hence, this article contributes knowledge towards responsible land governance and evaluated the Ethiopian lands regime in line with the accepted norms of land governance. Thus, the method of analysis is doctrinal legal research. 2011.