Medium Term Development Plan, 2011-2015 - UNDP in Papua New ...

The Land Group Incorporation (Amendment) Act and the Land Registration (Customary) (Amendment) Act
will be fully implemented within the medium term.
· Alienated land development – Weak administration and land use planning is preventing the effective
development of alienated land. The work on improving land administration will therefore be crucial in
the development of alienated land, including developing market based mechanisms for releasing land
to developers.
· Dispute resolution – The work on dispute resolution will be pursued in alignment and coordination
with work on land administration and customary land development.
· Institutional development and capacity building – Institutional development and capacity building
will be undertaken to strengthen partner agency operational and management capacity. This
component will include land related training and education. The NLDP Office will be operational and
will coordinate the various aspects of the land program in the first five years.
· Land use planning – The Government will develop a Land Use Planning Scheme to guide the best use
of land. This will ensure that the natural environment supporting the diverse culture is protected, that
a particular economic activity is suitable for the designated parcel of land, and that there is
sustainable economic development.
· Housing and land – The housing shortage has a strong correlation with the land shortage. Therefore
the Government will need to address land supply as the first step in addressing housing.
· Supply of skilled land planners and surveyors – Increasing the supply of the required numbers of
key skilled personnel in land management will require expansion of both physical infrastructure and
spaces in the tertiary education system in PNG.
Challenges in implementation
The MTDP will emphasise effective implementation of the NLDP to deliver on the key result areas. There are
many challenges and obstacles facing the implementation of land reform. They include building the support of
NGOs, securing adequate funding for the program, and obtaining active participation and commitment by
implementing agencies.
Another important risk is that foreign influences could begin to undermine the current PNG driven land
reform initiatives. The current NLDP is driven by the PNG government and must continue to be driven by PNG
in order to manage well the cultural sensitivities and obtain outcomes appropriate and effective for PNG.
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