Approches pratiques pour l'acquisition de terres, la réinstallation et les sauvegardes dans les opérations soutenues par les MDBs
Photo © Unsplash/Levi-meir-clancy
Approches pratiques pour l'acquisition de terres, la réinstallation et les sauvegardes dans les opérations soutenues par les MDBs
8–12 juin 2026
Présentation du cours
Dans les économies en développement et émergentes, la question de savoir qui contrôle les terres et comment affecte profondément diverses populations (agriculteurs, éleveurs, citadins et petits entrepreneurs) tout en façonnant les politiques gouvernementales. Ce qui semble être un simple défi d'allocation des ressources révèle souvent des tensions plus profondes liées à l'identité, à la tradition et aux voies de développement. La croissance démographique, le changement climatique et la demande croissante de ressources entraînent une concurrence intense pour les terres, créant des tensions au sein des communautés et entre celles-ci et les investisseurs. Lorsque des projets de développement nécessitent des terres, ces tensions existantes deviennent critiques. Une bonne gouvernance foncière favorise un accès sûr à la terre et crée un environnement propice aux investissements qui libèrent les capacités productives des pays en développement. Cependant, les processus d'acquisition de terres peuvent entraîner des déplacements physiques ou économiques qui affectent les moyens de subsistance des populations dans les zones rurales et urbaines. L'acquisition de terres implique de multiples parties prenantes à tous les niveaux institutionnels, des ministères nationaux aux communautés locales, ce qui nécessite une coordination efficace entre des acteurs ayant des mandats et des expertises variés. Les processus d'acquisition de terres sont intrinsèquement liés à la préservation du patrimoine culturel et à la protection des populations vulnérables, notamment les femmes, les jeunes, les éleveurs, les communautés traditionnelles et les personnes vivant sous des régimes fonciers coutumiers. Le renforcement des capacités et des partenariats collaboratifs est essentiel pour garantir que les processus de gouvernance foncière soient transparents, équitables et favorisent un développement inclusif tout en assurant les sauvegardes des biens culturels et des moyens de subsistance traditionnels.
Groupes cibles
· Unités de mise en œuvre/gestion de projet (PIU/PMU) · Fonctionnaires chargés de l'acquisition de terres (ministères des Terres, des Finances, des Secteurs ; Travaux publics, Agriculture, Environnement, Collectivités locales, etc. · Spécialistes sociaux et professionnels des garanties environnementales · Praticiens et consultants en développement · Agences des Nations Unies
Course description
This course equips practitioners with the knowledge and tools to implement robust social safeguards in land acquisition and resettlement processes, ensuring sustainable development outcomes across diverse project environments.
Unmitigated displacement creates severe and cascading risks: dismantled production systems, impoverishment from lost resources, relocation to unsuitable environments, weakened community institutions, exacerbated inequalities, dispersed families, and eroded cultural identity. These impacts extend across social, economic, environmental, and psychological dimensions. For this reason, involuntary resettlement must be avoided where possible. When unavoidable, it must be minimized through carefully planned mitigation measures that protect both displaced persons and host communities.
The course examines how operational safeguards on land acquisition and resettlement apply to sovereign operations across developing and emerging economies with diverse legal and institutional contexts. You will explore land acquisition as a comprehensive process encompassing property transfer, livelihood impact assessment, and protection of cultural heritage and vulnerable populations. This requires understanding varied institutional frameworks—from state-centered systems to pluralistic approaches recognizing customary rights and traditional governance—while managing the intersection between formal and customary legal frameworks.
Land acquisition requires coordination across multiple government institutions (finance, public works, lands, and sector-specific ministries), each bringing different mandates and expertise. The course addresses critical implementation challenges: rushed Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) preparation without adequate community consultation, inadequate compensation cost evaluation, weak monitoring mechanisms, and insufficient funding for comprehensive planning. You will learn how multilateral development banks streamline compensation procedures through loan agreements to ensure timely payment, maintain project timelines, and uphold the principle that no investment can proceed unless land is free from encumbrances, occupation, or conflict, and compensation has been negotiated and secured.
Programme structure
The course covers five thematic modules delivered over one week:
Module 1: Land Systems and Governance Foundations
Understanding diverse land tenure systems, customary rights, and legal frameworks across developing and emerging economies, and the alignment between country systems and international safeguard standards.
Module 2: Resettlement Action Plan Development and Implementation
Preparation, planning, and execution of RAPs, including case studies, field lessons, and practical scenario based group work to develop implementation capacity.
Module 3: Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation
Tools and approaches for meaningful community engagement, early engagement strategies, capacity building for borrowers, and development of context-specific consultation strategies.
Module 4: Compensation, Livelihood Restoration Procedures, and Monitoring
Valuation and consent procedures, compliance with national frameworks, compensation fast-tracking, environmental and quality assessments for relocation sites, livelihood restoration procedures, and RAP completion audit methodologies.
Module 5: Vulnerable Groups, Social Inclusion, and Strengthening Local Institutions
Addressing needs of vulnerable populations, cultural heritage protection, broader social inclusion considerations, stakeholder information disclosure, and development of country-specific support strategies.
Course objectives
This course examines how development projects can address land acquisition challenges across diverse developing and emerging economies, exploring the principles, frameworks, and practical approaches that enable positive outcomes while avoiding harm to affected communities.
Through implementation-focused training, the course assists multilateral development banks in supporting borrowers to implement risk mitigation measures, particularly those related to land acquisition, compensation, and involuntary resettlement.
The course focuses on three integrated areas:
- Integrating safeguard requirements into project preparation processes
- Examining the implementation phase where borrowers execute RAPs and associated instruments
- Aligning national legislation with international best practices
Through case studies and project examples, participants will develop practical skills that help borrowers achieve meaningful protection for affected communities and restore livelihoods.
