New Regulation on Land Management in Coastal Areas and Small Islands

The Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency (“Minister”) has issued Regulation No. 17 of 2016 on the Management of Land in Coastal Areas and Small Islands (“Regulation”), in order to provide certainty and clarity regarding the granting of suitable land-rights for coastal areas and small islands. The Regulation encompasses land resulting from any reclamation process and land emerging from the surface of shores or banks of rivers, lakes or islands. [1] The Regulation sets out guidelines for the granting of land rights for land in the abovementioned areas, which are of relevance to existing and prospective land-rights holders for such areas of land. [2] Objects of Land ManagementLand rights in coastal areas may be granted for land located along beaches/shorelines or in coastal areas which is being utilized for any of the following purposes: [3]