Land Registry and its achievements

Forging worldwide connections

We already have an expanding range of international projects and are following up new leads

News in brief

Our International Unit:

• hosted 20 study visits and secondments from overseas
• is venturing into the competitive marketplace, bidding for projects put out to tender by the UK Department for International Development, the EU and the World Bank
• represents Land Registry on the Central European Land Knowledge Centre (CELK) based in Hungary and has been actively involved in workshops organised by the Spanish Colegio de Registradores examining how Land Registry information is made available to judges.

Land Registry talent goes nternational

Land Registry’s International Unit is forging important connections with client countries and organisations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

“Our small team provides land registration advice, expertise and technical know-how to countries aiming to develop or establish private land ownership, and to secure land tenure and a functioning land and mortgage market. We already have an expanding range of international projects and are following up new leads in locations as diverse as Sierra Leone and Barbados.” John Meadows, Head of the International Unit

For Land Registry staff member Jon Llewellyn, applying for a secondment to Baghdad was the prelude to two of the most challenging months of his professional career. Jon gave practical support to the Coalition Provisional Authority, working alongside its Property Claims Commission.

“As there was regular incoming mortar fire, I went to work each day at the Republican Palace wearing body armour and if I had to leave the office, it was always in an armoured car with an armed escort. Despite these restrictions, I have no doubt that what we were able to achieve in the field of property registration will directly benefit ordinary Iraqi people.”

Jon Llewellyn, Land Registry

Global demand for our expertise

Elsewhere in the Middle East, the International Unit is providing consultancy to Bahrain on modernising its Land Registry. Africa is also a promising market for our pool of talent and experience. We have been sub-contracted by the British Council to upgrade land registration facilities in four of Nigeria’s federal states. A Land Registry lawyer has joined a team of international experts contributing to a United Nation’s review of how Lithuania administers its land. Exporting our expertise is proving a highly effective showcase for our talents.

The International Unit’s skills are also in demand in the UK where it arranges study tours, secondments and educational visits to provide an insight into Land Registry’s operations.. Since it was set up, the International Unit has hosted visits from many countries including Mongolia, Romania, Ukraine and China.