We Are

The Coalition for Equitable Land Acquisitions and Development in Africa (CELADA) is an international campaign to end the indiscriminate alienation of African land to external and domestic commercial interests; to restore, reform and ensure sustainable land rights; and to promote equitable agricultural development, including land access, management and ownership for the African people.

CELADA Meeting (July, 2013)

CELADA Board Members:
Roy Culpeper, Chair
Roy Culpeper is a Senior Fellow at the University of Ottawa’s School of International Development and Global Studies, Adjunct Professor at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, and a Fellow of the Broadbent Institute. From January until May 2011 he was a Fulbright scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. From 1995 until 2010 he was President and Chief Executive Officer of The North-South Institute, Ottawa. Earlier in his career he was an official at the World Bank in Washington, the federal Departments of Finance and External Affairs in Ottawa, and the Planning Secretariat of the Government of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Roy Culpeper obtained his Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Toronto. He has published widely on the issues of international development, finance and global governance.

Samuel Bonti-Ankomah, Director
Samuel Bonti-Ankomah completed his BSc. from University of Science and Technology in Ghana and obtained his MSc. and Ph.D from University of Guelph. After graduation, he took an international assignment in South Africa with CUSO where he undertook several research projects on land redistribution programs, government policies on poverty and unemployment and provided practical policy recommendations to the South African government on these issues. He also collaborated with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and wrote several reports on poverty, land use, food security and sustainable development in South Africa. Dr. Bonti-Ankomah currently works for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) as a Chief Economist and manager to a team of economic researchers on agricultural policies.

Eshete Hailu, Director
Eshete Hailu has a long and successful career in the field of evaluation and is currently working for Health Canada as an evaluation manager. He has previously worked in evaluation roles with the Canada Border Services Agency and the Canadian International Development Agency. He received his B.A. in Economics from Asmara University, his M.A. in Economics from the University of Guelph and a Post Graduate Diploma for International Development and Cooperation from the University of Ottawa.

Kathryn (Annie) Brunton, Director
Annie Brunton works with the Canadian federal government on development cooperation issues. Previously she worked for the Centre on Governance offering research support on the topics of land governance, food security and human rights. She also worked with the United Nations on youth engagement in educational policy. She has conducted field research in rural Uganda exploring the impacts of decentralized land policies on land tenure security. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia and a Masters of Arts in Globalization and International Development from the School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa.

Tony Breur, Director
Tony Breuer has recently completed an assignment as the new Head of Programs, Caribbean Region, for Cuso International based in its regional office in Kingston, Jamaica. He is the past Executive Director of the Canadian Hunger Foundation (CHF). Working in collaboration with southern NGO partners, it implemented projects in more than 40 countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas, including the Caribbean. Previously, he managed a range of projects in Pakistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan with the Aga Khan Development Network. He also spent a considerable part of his professional life with the Canadian International Development Agency, now Global Affairs Canada, holding a range of program management, executive and policy positions.

Awegechew Teshome, Director
Awegechew Teshome is an independent research scientist initially trained as wildlife manager at College of African Wildlife Management in East Africa. He developed expertise through post graduate studies in soils, climate analysis, geomorphology, agricultural biodiversity, genetics and the management of crop diversity by traditional farmers with Master’s and Doctoral degrees at University of Ottawa and Carleton University in Canada. Awegechew is the winner of the prestigious Vavilov-Franklin fellowship. Awegechew has worked as Manager and International Scientific Advisor to farmer-based agricultural biodiversity programs in Africa, Asia and the Americas. He served as a resource person and trainer for International training workshops on Genetic resources conservation and utilization for livelihood and environmental sustainability.

Rebecca Dick, Director
Rebecca is an employee with the Canadian federal government. She works at Global Affairs Canada supporting Canadian missions abroad as they implement small-scale, local development projects in ODA-eligible countries. Rebecca holds a BA in Leisure and Recreation studies from Concordia University in Montreal. She is currently completing her MA in International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa. Her research looks at the wildlife tourism industry in northern Tanzania and its impact on indigenous livelihoods, particularly communities’ access to land, as well as its related impact on wildlife conservation.  

Maggy Razafimbahiny, Director
Maggy Razafimbahiny is a native of Madagascar. She immigrated to Canada in 1991. She trained as a journalist while living in France motivated by her passion for humanitarian and social issues specifically those related to Africa and Madagascar. Eventually she returned to Madagascar where she was employed by UNICEF for six years working throughout the Indian Ocean. It was through her work with UNICEF that she developed her knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by countries in East Africa and the Indian Ocean particularly in the situation of women and children. Upon arriving in Canada, she continued working in the international sector through such organizations as the North-South Institute. A fervent defender of the French language and culture, Maggy has also worked for more than 15 years for the Canadian Francophonie and is currently employed by a leading Francophone college.

Obang Metho, Director
Mr. Obang Metho is Executive Director of the SMNE, a non-political and non-violent social justice movement of diverse people that advocates for freedom, justice, good governance and upholding the civil, human and economic rights of the people of Ethiopia, without regard to ethnicity, religion, political affiliation or other differences. SMNE and the Oakland Institute co-produced the Ethiopian portion of the comprehensive investigative report, Understanding Land Investment Deals in Africa, published in June 2011. Mr. Metho is a human rights activist who has briefed and met with leaders and officials at United Nations, the European Parliament, the US Department of State, the US Senate, the US House of Representatives, the World Bank and the Council for Foreign Relations, amongst others.