ICCA Kigali 2025

Africa & International Arbitration: Untold Stories

ICCA and the Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC) will co-host a one-day conference in Kigali on 5 June 2025. The conference will focus on the theme “Africa & International Arbitration: Untold Stories”.

Young ICCA will host a Skills Training Workshop on the Enforcement of Arbitral Awards on 6 June 2025, the day after the ICCA-KIAC Conference. Click here for more details on the Young ICCA event.

Registration

Registration is now open for the ICCA-KIAC Conference. For more information about the Conference, click here.

Register Now for the ICCA-KIAC Conference

ICCA has taken note of the evolving security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) along the Rwandan border with the DRC. Delegates should consult the official travel advisory of their own country with regard to Rwandan travel plans.

Preliminary Programme

Register from 8:30 am at the Kigali Convention Centre.

Chief Guest:

Rt. Hon. Domitilla Mukanaganzwa, Chief Justice of Rwanda

Speakers:

Stanimir Alexandrov, ICCA President
Victor Mugabe, KIAC Secretary General
Lise Bosman, ICCA Executive Director
Meg Kinnear, Programme Co-chair
Thierry Ngoga, Programme Co-chair
John Ohaga, Programme Co-chair

Speaker:

Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Rwanda

The panel discusses the lessons learned from the recent reform experiences on the African continent. What have been the historical obstacles to development of arbitration in Africa? How are countries addressing some of these obstacles through legal reforms? What are the untold stories around legal reform processes? How effective has law reform been? Are arbitration specialists and users benefitting? Are African practitioners ready? What other issues have been or need to be addressed?

Moderator:

Mohamed Abdel Wahab

Speakers:

Nakasamba Banda
Madeleine Kimei
Abayomi Okubote
Naomi Tarawali

Refreshments will be provided.

African economies are evolving, giving rise to new sectors while strengthening traditional ones. Panelists will discuss key trends in dispute settlement, examining how legal frameworks and institutions are adapting to address issues arising from these emerging and expanding industries.

Moderator:

Makane Mbengue

Speakers:

Ziad Obeid
Mercy Okiro
Nania Owusu-Ankomah Sackey
Gadi Taj Ndahumba

Refreshments will be provided.

An in-depth interview with the World Bank’s Chief Economist for Africa on global and African economic prospects, critically covering challenges and opportunities for commerce, trade and investment in the region.

Speaker:

Andrew Dabalen, Chief Economist, Africa, World Bank

Interviewer:

Dyalá Jiménez

Refreshments will be provided.

Practitioners take us from the Untold Stories of past and present to Future Stories about African arbitral practice, examining factors such as technology, culture, law and legal Instruments, people and, sectors and industries.

Moderator:

Isaiah Bozimo

Speakers:

Sylvie Bebohi Ebongo
Jackwell Feris
Balla Galma Godana
Won Kidane

ICCA celebrates the launch of its “Historical Database of African Dispute Resolution” – an online, searchable database of inter-State, investor-State and commercial arbitrations and conciliations involving African parties and interests from the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods. Join us for a preview of this unique resource for scholars, practitioners and policy-makers, intended to stimulate research and discussion on the engagement of African actors and African issues in international law.

Speaker: