Ghana will from November 3-5, 2022, host the annual African Arbitration Conference that is aimed at promoting the practice of international arbitration on the continent.
The 3rd annual African Arbitration Conference, organised by the African Arbitration Association (AfAA), will assemble dozens of seasoned arbitrators from across the continent to deliberate pertinent issues to enhance the growth of the arbitration industry in Africa.
The event, which is slated for Accra, has the theme: “Africanisation of International Dispute Resolution.”
As a continental professional grouping that seeks to promote effective international arbitration and other forms of international dispute resolution, the AfAA is confident that the conference would help to address some of the challenges militating against the progress of arbitration practice across the continent.
Topics scheduled for discussions include, “AfCFTA: a window of opportunity for Africanisation of Dispute Resolution,” “Securing funding for dispute resolution in Africa,” “Creating a fertile ground for the advancement of different forms of dispute resolution mechanisms,” “Customary dispute resolution mechanisms in Africa, its promotion in a national and international context,” “Africanisation of International Dispute Resolution: a Myth, a Fact, or a Movement,” “COVID and its impact on dispute resolution,” and “The Interplay between Arbitration and Litigation: the important role played by domestic courts in safeguarding disputing parties’ choice to resort to arbitration.”
As part of the conference, distinguished arbitrators would be honoured for their contribution to the advancement of international arbitration practice in Africa.
The conference will be preceded by a training workshop on “Enhancing the Role of Counsel and Arbitrator in African Arbitration” on November 2. It is to enable practitioners to share ideas and experiences on the subject.
Among other objectives, the workshop would identify emerging factors that counsel should consider in selecting fact/expert witnesses, fashion out the best way to prepare a fact witness’ statement, answer the question of whether an arbitral panel should always be chaired by a senior (in age or qualification), and determine effective methods for preparing arbitral award by a panel of arbitrators.
