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Chair
Caliis Badoo

African Regional Forum

The African Regional Forum aims to further enhance the objectives of the IBA by means of cooperation, support of bar associations in developing countries, development of laws, and the exchange of information and ideals.

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About the Forum

These are exciting times for our Forum! With the primary objective of the enhancement of the value and significance of the Forum to all members globally, we have established various Working Groups which function alongside a panel of distinguished Advisory Board members.

The problems facing African lawyers are different from those affecting lawyers in other regions. To this end, the African Regional Forum was created to identify and address these problems. The aims of the African Regional Forum are as follows:

  • To further enhance the objectives of the International Bar Association (IBA) by means of cooperation, support of bar associations in developing countries, development of laws, exchange of information and ideals;
  • to develop interest about the International Bar Association in Africa and provide information to local lawyers on the work of the International Bar Association;
  • to assist new and potential IBA members when attending conferences and becoming involved in the IBA committee work;
  • to coordinate the various divisions, sections and committees of the International Bar Association by way of hosting regional conferences, workshops, seminars and various study groups in Africa;
  • to initiate programmes that will promote specialisation and partnership in the legal profession in Africa;
  • to liase with the other regional fora, enabling members of the African Regional Forum to learn from their counterparts;
  • to educate the African society about their rights and duties in their relationship with each other and their governments, by creating awareness of the role of law in democratic societies;
  • to provide a forum for the regulation of the profession, training of aspirant practitioners, continued legal education, legal reforms and interaction with government in Africa;
  • to produce a regular newsletter and other communications to serve as a channel for information to be exchanged and shared among members;
  • to strengthen sub-regional bars in the continent;
  • to strengthen the relationship between the bench and bar as well as issues of discipline;
  • to facilitate the exchange of law reports, books, video and other equipment between developed and developing bars.

Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences

Drivers of change in the legal profession and legal education - Africa focus

27 Apr 2023 1300 - 1400 BST

Online, England

Data Protection/Privacy Guide for Lawyers in Africa

This Guide addresses privacy/data protection planning, functionality and management of a legal practice in Africa. The guide will provide lawyers in Africa with sustainable, practical and easy to implement data protection controls/protocols. It has been developed drawing from the basic principles contained in the various laws and frameworks on the continent of Africa as well as global trends such as the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) of Europe and other associated international best practices. 

Download the Guide

 

Recent developments impacting legal services in Ethiopia from a historical perspective

This article is an update on the regulation of the legal practice in Ethiopia. It briefly covers the historical development and focusses on the current system while presenting and reflecting on the new law opening the door for the establishment of Limited Liability Partnerships in Ethiopia.

Released on Dec 21, 2022

Belokon v Betamax: Divergent approaches to the review powers of supervisory courts on public policy grounds

Earlier this year, the Cour de Cassation handed down Belokon v Kyrgyzstan (Cass. Civ. 1st, 23 mars 2022, n° 17-17.981). The Court’s decision appears to indicate that French courts are prepared to take a more interventionalist role in setting aside arbitral awards, where public policy concerns are raised. An interesting comparison can be made with the position in Mauritius following Betamax Ltd v State Trading Corporation [2021] UKPC 14.

Released on Dec 21, 2022

Football 256 v Uganda Football Associations (FUFA)

Football 256 purported to carry out an awards ceremony via their social media channels – ‘Football 256 Best of the Season Awards’ – for the recently concluded 2020-2021 StarTimes Uganda Premier League. In response, the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) threatened legal action against Football 256, the football clubs, club officials and players.

Released on Jun 07, 2022

The implications of Brexit on taking African claims to the UK: the end of suing British conglomerates in London?

The idea of African group claims against UK-based corporates that have been brought to the English courts is not entirely new, but has seen a spate of claims in the last five years or so, suggesting that it is a trend that may be accelerating.

Released on Feb 25, 2022

Podcasts

Subcommittees and other groups

The African Regional Forum also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.

  • African Regional Forum Advisory Board