The Swedish Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Urban Sjöström, on Thursday, October 7, 2021, paid a visit to the Liberia Land Authority, and held discussions with the Board of Commissioners and a cross-section of the senior staff of the Liberia Land Authority.
Speaking during the meeting in the Executive Conference Room at the LLA’s head office in Monrovia, the Chairperson, J. Adams Manobah extended gratitude to the Swedish Government for the continued support to the land sector over the years, particularly for the LLA.
He commended the work of the Inclusive Land Administration and Management Project (ILAMP), supported by the Swedish International Development Agency and implemented by Lantmateriet, the Swedish Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authority.
In response, the Swedish Ambassador reaffirmed his government’s commitment to more capacity building for the Liberia Land Authority. He stated that the project is intended for technical and institutional capacity building and cooperation, and to aid the Liberian government to step in and ensure that LLA gets the means required to succeed with its important work.
According to the Ambassador, the Swedish Government will continue to support the capacity development of the staff of the LLA in line with the international development priorities of Sweden and the Strategic Plan of the LLA.
The Ambassador further said that the land situation in Liberia is “very vital” since land remains a crucial element in the post-conflict context of the country.
He stated further that in Sweden women occupy strategic government positions therefore his government will support gender programs to the highest level.
Giving an update of the capacity building project, the ILAMP’s Project Director, Mr. Christopher Byren said the project will support many other trainings but its primary focus for now is on improving the customer services and public relations, land registration procedures, cadastral/surveying procedures and customary land regulation and by-laws.
In discussions that followed, various Commissioners of the LLA and the Executive Director briefed the Ambassador and entourage on a number of on-going program activities of the LLA including but not limited to the development of regulations for the implementation of the Land Rights Act; development of land use planning guidelines for communities; the just-completed nation-wide awareness on the Land Rights Act and the LLA in selected communities across Liberia; and the development of standard operating procedures for LLA’s county land offices.