Jean du Plessis
Moderator
UN-Habitat and its partners have been studying the usage of land-based finance in fragile contexts and specifically how these mechanisms can be used to contribute to post-conflict reconstruction and strengthen the social contract. Drawing from experiences in Afghanistan, Somalia, Palestine and other fragile contexts, the event will identify challenges as well as showcase ‘good practices’ on the adoption of land-based finance mechanisms. It will emphasize the need for locally appropriate customization, the prerequisites for reform success, the limitations and specific risks in pursuing land-based finance reforms, how to preserve reform momentum, and how to measure/evaluate success. It will focus specifically on the need for increased revenue to result in improved and/or more equitable service delivery, in order to promote reconstruction and rebuilding the social contract. By showcasing these practices, partnerships and tools, this event strongly connects with WUF11’s theme of Transforming our Cities for a Better Urban Future and builds on the important messaging of using innovative domestic finance mechanisms to close infrastructure gaps and contribute to post-conflict recovery contained with global agendas such as the SG’s action agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the New Urban Agenda.
The event will take the format of short inputs by key speakers, followed by an interactive round-table discussion and feedback from the floor, and ending with summation by a discussant.
1. To provide a platform to share experiences on how to use land-based finance mechanisms to fuel reconstruction and strengthen the social contract in fragile contexts
2. To identify and share ‘good practices’ in adopting and customizing land-based finance mechanisms
3. To identify gaps in the current body of knowledge on how to use land-based finance for purposes of reconstruction and the strengthening the social contract
4. To strengthen the discourse on and build an alliance around the need for domestic resource mobilization
5. To build the capacity of participants around the usage of land-based finance in fragile contexts 6. To raise awareness among participants of the Municipal Finance and land-based finance work in particular of UN-Habitat in fragile contexts