CanBetterGovernanceandManagementofScarcityPreventaLoomingCrisisintheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica? ANNACORSIHARRISSELOD LANDMATTERS LANDMATTERS CanBetterGovernanceandManagementofScarcityPreventaLoomingCrisisintheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica? AnnaCorsiandHarrisSelod ©2023InternationalBankforReconstructionandDevelopment/TheWorldBank1818HStreetNW,Washington,DC20433 Telephone:202-473-1000;Internet:www.worldbank.orgSomerightsreserved 123426252423 ThisworkisaproductofthestaffofTheWorldBankwithexternalcontributions.Thefindings,interpretations,andconclusionsexpressedinthisworkdonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsofTheWorldBank,itsBoardofExecutiveDirectors,orthegovernmentstheyrepresent.TheWorldBankdoesnotguaranteetheaccuracy,completeness,orcurrencyofthedataincludedinthisworkanddoesnotassumeresponsibilityforanyerrors,omissions,ordiscrepanciesintheinformation,orliabilitywithrespecttotheuseoforfailuretousetheinformation,methods,processes,orconclusionssetforth.Theboundaries,colors,denominations,andotherinformationshownonanymapinthisworkdonotimplyanyjudgmentonthepartofTheWorldBankconcerningthelegalstatusofanyterritoryortheendorsementoracceptanceofsuchboundaries. NothinghereinshallconstituteorbeconstruedorconsideredtobealimitationuponorwaiveroftheprivilegesandimmunitiesofTheWorldBank,allofwhicharespecificallyreserved. RightsandPermissions ThisworkisavailableundertheCreativeCommonsAttribution3.0IGOlicense(CCBY3.0IGO)http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo.UndertheCreativeCommonsAttributionlicense,youarefreetocopy,distribute,transmit,andadaptthiswork,includingforcommercialpurposes,underthefollowingconditions: Attribution—Pleasecitetheworkasfollows:Corsi,Anna,andHarrisSelod.2023.LandMatters:CanBetterGovernanceandManagementofScarcityPreventaLoomingCrisisintheMiddleEastandNorthAfrica?Washington,DC:WorldBank.doi:10.1596/978-1-4648-1661-1.License:CreativeCommonsAttributionCCBY3.0IGO Translations—Ifyoucreateatranslationofthiswork,pleaseaddthefollowingdisclaimeralongwiththeattribution:ThistranslationwasnotcreatedbyTheWorldBankandshouldnotbeconsideredanofficialWorldBanktranslation.TheWorldBankshallnotbeliableforanycontentorerrorinthistranslation. Adaptations—Ifyoucreateanadaptationofthiswork,pleaseaddthefollowingdisclaimeralongwiththeattribution:ThisisanadaptationofanoriginalworkbyTheWorldBank.ViewsandopinionsexpressedintheadaptationarethesoleresponsibilityoftheauthororauthorsoftheadaptationandarenotendorsedbyTheWorldBank. Third-partycontent—TheWorldBankdoesnotnecessarilyowneachcomponentofthecontentcontainedwithinthework.TheWorldBankthereforedoesnotwarrantthattheuseofanythird-party-ownedindividualcomponentorpartcontainedintheworkwillnotinfringeontherightsofthosethirdparties.Theriskofclaimsresultingfromsuchinfringementrestssolelywithyou.Ifyouwishtoreuseacomponentofthework,itisyourresponsibility todeterminewhetherpermissionisneededforthatreuseandtoobtainpermissionfromthecopyrightowner.Examplesofcomponentscaninclude,butarenotlimitedto,tables,figures,orimages. AllqueriesonrightsandlicensesshouldbeaddressedtoWorldBankPublications,TheWorldBankGroup,1818HStreetNW,Washington,DC20433,USA;e-mail:pubrights@worldbank.org. ISBN(paper):978-1-4648-1661-1 ISBN(electronic):978-1-4648-1738-0DOI:10.1596/978-1-4648-1661-1 Coverimages:Top:Circulargreenirrigationpatchesforagricultureinthedesert,Dubai,UnitedArabEmirates. ©SkyMediaPro/Shutterstock.com.UsedwiththepermissionofSkyMediaPro/Shutterstock.com.Furtherpermissionrequiredforreuse.Bottom:Newbuildingsinthedesert,ArabRepublicofEgypt.©AmirElsayed/Shutterstock.com.UsedwiththepermissionofAmirElsayed/Shutterstock.com.Furtherpermissionrequiredforreuse. Coverandinteriordesign:JihaneElKhouryRoedererandSergioAndresMoreno LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2023900729 Contents Forewordix Acknowledgmentsxi AbouttheAuthorsandContributorsxiii ExecutiveSummaryxvii Abbreviationsxxi GlossaryofArabicTermsxxiii INTRODUCTION1 Introduction1 FrameworkforaDiscussionofLandIssues2 CHAPTER1LandScarcity,LandUseDynamics,andLandUseIssues intheMENARegion5 Introduction5 LandUseintheMENARegion:HistoricalTrendsandCurrentSituation5 KeyDriversofLandUsePatternsinMENACountries12 FutureTrendsandImpactsontheDemandforLand17 Annex1A:ThePotentialforCroplandExpansion18 Annex1B:TheDeterminantsofGlobalLandDegradation19 Notes20 References21 CHAPTER2Legal,Institutional,andGovernanceChallengesFacingLand UseinMENACountries25 Introduction25 HistoricalFoundationsofLegalFrameworksintheMENARegion25 LandGovernanceChallenges30 LandAdministrationChallenges38 Notes45 References46 CHAPTER3BarrierstoAccessingLandintheMENARegion49 Introduction49 Firms’DifficultiesinAccessingLand49 Women’sDifficultiesinAccessingLand52 Refugees,InternallyDisplacedPersons,andTheirLandandPropertyRights59 Annex3A:TheRoleofPoliticalConnectionsinFacilitatingAccesstoLandin TunisiaandEgypt60 Notes61 References63 v CHAPTER4MarketDistortionsandLandUseInefficienciesinthe MENARegion69 Introduction69 ExpandedConceptualFramework69 LandDistortionsinMENAEconomies71 Policies74 Annex4A:TheDistributiono