The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has called for Africa to become a home for arbitration, particularly in cases originating from the continent. Speaking at the International Bar Association annual conference in Mexico, Mr. Dame highlighted the challenges African nations face in international arbitration, often governed by foreign laws.
Citing a recent case in which Nigeria faced a $11 billion claim by Process & Industrial Development Limited (P&ID), Mr. Dame emphasized the importance of African nations establishing robust local arbitration mechanisms to protect their legal systems from external influence.
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He stressed the need for African governments to set up transparent, fair, and efficient dispute resolution systems to ensure their legal sovereignty. Mr. Dame pointed to Ghana’s leadership in this area, with the establishment of the Ghana Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre, and revealed plans to mandate all state contracts to stipulate Ghana as the seat of arbitration.
He urged lawyers to continually train in international procedures, ensuring Africa’s legal professionals are well-equipped to handle cross-border disputes.
