Breaking away from the land policy stalemate

Abstract

Unlocking the potential of land is crucial for realising the development aspirations of the people of Papua New Guinea and the island nations of the Pacific, yet land policy development has largely been absent in these countries. Land is a political ‘hot potato’, which goes some way towards explaining this absence. In recent years, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu have pointed the way forward. Their focus has been on getting the land policy process right, because without this there can be no reform. It is as a result of problematic land policy processes that past reform efforts in the region have foundered.