17 September 2018, China : Upon invitation of the China Land Survey and Planning Institute (CLSPI) under the newly established Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources, the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) Secretariat visited China to discuss a partnership on land administration and management between the two institutions. The discussions culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining action on joint research and capacity development on land management and innovation; support of regional cooperation on land governance in Africa and Asia pacific and land administration and information systems.
The MoU was signed by Gao Yanli, Director General of CSLPI and Oumar Sylla, Unit Leader Land and GLTN Unit at UN-Habitat. As part of the partnership, CSLPI accepted to join the GLTN network as an official member. This makes CSLPI the newest GLTN partner and the partnership offers an opportunity to bring Chinese experience on land management and administration into the GLTN network. It also provides an opportunity to strengthen south-south cooperation.
The GLTN delegation also had an opportunity to visit Shandong province where the German foundation Hanns Seidel Stiftung, is supporting land consolidation programs in China’s rural areas. The visit offered the opportunity to agree on organizing a learning exchange event focussing on good practice in land consolidation and land transformation along the urban-rural nexus.