By Patrick Jaramogi

THE United Nations will support governments to prevent forced land evictions, a senior official has said. “Land is a complex issue and is one of the most critical elements in development. The UN Habitat does not endorse forced evictions,’ said Dr. Remy Sietchiping, a UN Habitat land tenure specialist.

Speaking at the international conference for the Commonwealth association of land surveying and economy on Friday, Siethiping, urged surveyors to fast-track the issuing of land titles.

“The issue of slums in African countries is becoming a threat. In the next 10-15 years, the majority of the population will be residing in urban areas and surveyors need to foster proper developments ahead of this,” he told participants at Ridar Hotel in Mukono.

“But as the vulnerable acquire land in urban centres, they must get security tenure. Surveyors need to fast-track mechanisms of reducing the high costs involved in acquiring land.