The Forums on International Law

With the view to encouraging the teaching, study and dissemination of international law and African Union law, the AUCIL holds an annual Forum on International Law. The duration of the forum is two days. The Forum also aims to identify ways to accelerate dissemination throughout the continent. Accordingly, the Forum has been held in Eastern, Northern and Western Africa.

About AUCIL Forums

AUCIL Forums are held annually following the inaugural forum in December 2012, as a platform for discussing and interacting on matters of interest for Africa through the prism of international law and the African Union Law with the view of raising awareness on the necessity of accelerating regional integration, enlightening African decision makers on legal implications of regional integration, present the steps already achieved towards the African integration, identify ways to accelerate regional integration throughout the continent.

I. The First Forum on International Law

Theme: “The African Union Forum on International Law and African Union Law”.

This forum deliberates, among other issues, the major topics of the international law and African Union law for member states to establish the African Society of International Law. The forum specifically analysed the African International law.

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II. The Second Forum on International Law

Theme: “Law of Regional Integration in Africa”.

Regional integration remains a key strategy for Africa. Following the Abuja Treaty which provided the guiding principles for Africa’s current integration agenda, the continent has been striving to strengthen its Regional Economic Communities (REC) with the view to establishing the African Economic Community (AEC). Several of these RECs have established mechanisms and frameworks that led to the creation of free trade areas and customs unions.

To this end, the Forum raised awareness on the necessity of accelerating regional integration, enlightened African decision makers on legal implications of regional integration; presented the steps already achieved towards the African integration; identified ways to accelerate regional integration throughout the continent.

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III. The Third Forum on International Law

Theme: “Codification of International Law at the Regional Level in Africa”.

The Forum contributed to and shaped the development of international law by considering further codification of the international law of Africa in fields where there has already been extensive State practice, precedent and doctrine in the African continent.

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IV. The Fourth Forum on International Law

Theme: “The challenges of ratification and implementation of treaties in Africa”.

Bearing in mind the importance of the treaty in the overall context of AU’s objectives and the plan to deepen African political unity and economic integration, the Forum discussed the dilemma of the contradiction between the keenness in ratifying the texts in the context of the African Union and the cumbersome implementation of these texts at the national level; encouraged AU Member States to ratify AU/OAU Treaties and Conventions; and analysed ways in which progressive development of international law on the continent must take place in order to provide urgent responses to these issues.

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V. The Fifth Forum on International Law

Theme: “The role of Africa in developing International law”.

The Forum surveyed the methods in which Africa has engaged and is continuously interacting with international law-making processes; examined the practice of African States in their interactions with each other, and with other states in the international community; investigated the role played by African states in international organizations in the context of development and codification of new rules of international law; analyzed ways of progressively contributing to the development of international law in Africa; and identified the challenges in which Africa has in contributing to the development of international law.

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VI. The Upcoming Sixth Forum on International Law

Theme: “Legal & Socio economic consequences of immigration, refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa”.

The Forum will be from 11 and 12 December 2017.

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