Can Sierra Leone's new land laws end the ‘resource curse’?
Over 20% of Sierra Leone's land is leased to foreign businesses, but new land laws will give communities power to veto mining, farming and industrial projects.
Last week, the Sierra Leone government introduced two new laws that have been hailed by some NGOs as ' the most progressive land reform laws in the world'.
These new laws will give communities the power to block mining, farming and industrial projects on their land, restrict the amount of years companies can lease land for and will ban industrial development in ecologically sensitive areas.
Currently over 20% of Sierra Leone's land is leased to foreign businesses for mining, large-scale agriculture and other development ventures – leading to protests against some projects in recent years.
However, some members of the business community have voiced concern about the new laws, saying that it could put off foreign investors.
Presenter: Alan Kasujja (@kasujja)
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