APN | Jordan

8 December 2025

The Arab Land Initiative has taken a significant step by releasing a series of specialised case studies prepared by APN in collaboration with UN-Habitat and the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN). These studies shed light on the complex and often interlinked relationship between land and conflicts across the Arab region. The first set focuses on Morocco, Libya, and Yemen.

One set of these studies employs an advanced analytical methodology, known as the “Root Cause Analysis: Land & Conflict for Peace Building” tool, which identifies the root causes of conflicts, contributing factors, and immediate triggers. Another set examines the impacts of conflicts on land, including reductions in productive capacity and the denial of land ownership and housing rights.

What sets these studies apart is that they were conducted locally, drawing on the experiences and collaboration of representatives from affected communities. This stands in contrast to many previous studies which largely relied on foreign academics who often misdiagnosed conflict drivers and, in some cases, inadvertently exacerbated them.

Read the studies in English at the following links:

• Morocco: Conflicts between nomadic herders and farmers in the Souss region.
• Libya: Rising disputes over land rights amid state fragmentation and competing loyalties following the 2011 revolution.
• Yemen: Decades of war restricting productive land use and threatening property rights.