Lorenzo Cotula

Expertise:

Legal and social science research, capacity building and policy advocacy on the role of law in sustainable development, focusing on land rights and on natural resource investment (agriculture, extractive industries).
Experience in Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, South Africa) and Central Asia (Kazakhstan).

Current work:

Steering IIED’s work on land rights, contributing to the investment work (especially on investment law and contracts). Research on large-scale land acquisitions for agricultural investment in Africa (agrifood, biofuels). Coordinating the programme “Legal tools for citizen empowerment: Getting a better deal from natural resource investment in Africa”, in collaboration with partners in Ghana, Mali, Mozambique and Senegal (since 2006).

Before IIED:

Research consultant to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO); collaboration with two Italian NGOs.
Education: Degree in Law (cum laude), University "La Sapienza" of Rome; MSc in Development Studies (Distinction), London School of Economics; PhD in Law, University of Edinburgh.

Links:

Natural Resources
Legal Tools for Citizen Empowerment
Publications on the IIED database

Languages: