John Mahama Calls for Pan-African Legal Framework to Address Continent’s Challenges at 2024 NBA Conference

By Newswire 

Law & Events 

August 26, 2024

Former President of Ghana, John Mahama, says there’s a need for the establishment of a Pan-African legal framework that will reflect the continent’s values and realities and help to solve the challenges facing the continent.

Mahama said that Africa must proactively adapt a legal education and practice to meet the needs of an integrated market that involves developing expertise in international trade law, cross-border disputes, and comparative African law.

The former president, who spoke at the Nigeria Bar Association Annual General Conference in Lagos, also said that lawyers have an important role to play in addressing structural challenges facing the continent.

Mahama, who spoke on the topic “The Future of Africa Amid Rising Security, Economic and Political Challenges”, said that lawyers must not only advocate for change but they must also actively shape the legal frameworks that will support the diversification and strengthening of our economies.

He also said, “The protocol on the free movement of persons is not just an economic necessity but a realization of the Pan-African dream. It is your duty as legal persons to advocate for and implement legal mechanisms that enable the free movement of our people and goods across our borders while addressing the legitimate security concerns associated with that.

“You must work tirelessly to harmonise our immigration laws, recognize professional qualifications across our member states, and establish robust systems for the mutual recognition of judgments and arbitral awards.

“For your professional implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, it opens up new opportunities and responsibilities. You must proactively adapt your legal education and practice to meet the needs of an integrated African market. This involves developing expertise in international trade law, cross-border disputes, and comparative African law.

“The recent wave of political insurrections and coups in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region, reflect deep-seated issues of injustice, alienation, and marginalization. The state fragility and insecurity that have led to military takeovers have not only disrupted mutual understanding within the southwest sub-region but also exposed the limitation of current diplomatic and interventionist strategies.

“We must ask ourselves. What is the future of Africa? What are the challenges that threaten Africa’s future? And what role do you as legal professionals have in securing this future? To answer these questions, we must first examine the structural challenges that undermine our African economies and challenges that have been starkly highlighted by recent global events.

“These events have not only disrupted our economies but have also exposed the deep-rooted vulnerabilities that long existed beneath the surface of our economic frameworks. Our continent’s heavy reliance on exporting commodities and importing essential goods has made us especially vulnerable to the unpredictable fluctuation of global markets. This vulnerability is not a recent development,” he stated.

Also, speaking at the event, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said that Nigerians need a new mindset to rebuild the country.

He noted that “yesterday’s mindset took us to where we are today, and today’s mindset will take us to where we will be tomorrow.”

Akpabio asked the legal practitioners not to rest on their laurels, but that they should move forward, and welcome the future with open hands and hearts.

He said, “As we gather, let us remember that our strength lies not only in our numbers but also in our uniform.

“We are not merely a crowd. We are a very formidable force for positive change in Africa.

“We hold a call and a reflection on our collective determination to rebuild our beloved nation,” he said.