In Puntland today, community elders resolve between 90 and 95% of land disputes. As such, it is important to ensure they can provide input and maintain a role in the development of any new land dispute mechanisms.
Having published Harmonisation of the Legal Systems Resolving Land Disputes in Somaliland and Puntland earlier in the year, LAW and UN-Habitat formally launched the report in Garowe, Puntland and Hargeisa, Somaliland in November 2016. Since then, there have been a series of consultations with elders and stakeholder meetings to gather feedback and discuss how best to implement the recommendations of the report, particularly in respect of urban land.
A key recommendation of the report was for the establishment of Land Dispute Tribunals, a hybrid dispute resolution mechanism designed to deal with urban and peri-urban land disputes. LAW prepared training manuals for those working at the tribunals. These can be accessed below.