The First Africa Continent Commercial Courts Summit has officially commenced at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, bringing together Chief Justices, Judges, and judicial leaders from over 31 African countries.
The two-day landmark event, themed “Effective Commercial Dispute Resolution for Africa,” seeks to enhance commercial courts’ capacity, innovation, and cooperation across the continent.
The opening session set an energetic tone, featuring a dynamic cross-room dialogue focused on improving commercial dispute resolution from the perspective of court users.
Participants explored strategies to make commercial courts more accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of investors and businesses.
A keynote presentation was delivered by Sir William Blair, former Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court of England and Wales and current Justice at the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre.
Sir Blair outlined international best practices and emphasised the importance of fair, timely, and predictable resolution of commercial disputes to support economic development.
Chief Justice Hassan Jallow of Gambia shared his country’s recent experience in establishing a new Commercial Division, highlighting both the challenges and achievements in strengthening judicial capacity. Justice Koreen Mwenda-Zimba represented the Zambia Commercial Court Users Committee, emphasising the role of feedback mechanisms in shaping court reforms.
Uganda’s own Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi of the Supreme Court offered valuable insights drawn from her work with the COMESA Court of Justice, advocating for stronger regional collaboration and the harmonisation of commercial jurisprudence across Africa.
Moderated by Justice Robin Knowles of the Commercial Court of England and Wales—who also serves as Chair of the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts (SIFoCC)—the session sparked lively debate on bolstering investor confidence, integrating user-focused reforms, and expanding the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods such as mediation and arbitration.
The summit is scheduled to be officially opened by Uganda’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Norbert Mao, representing H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda.
His opening remarks are expected to emphasise Uganda’s commitment to judicial reforms and its role as a regional hub for commercial justice.