Celebrating 20 years of Ohada in Ouagadougou from 10 to 17 October 2013

 

The treaty signed on 17 October 1993 in Port- Louis (Mauritius) and revised on 17 October 2008 in Quebec City (Canada) established the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (Ohada Treaty). Twenty years later, it is clear that what some saw as a utopian project is now certainly the finest example of legal integration in the world. For their part, convinced from the beginning of the extreme importance of this Treaty, the UIHJ and African judicial officers had set up training seminars since the entry into force of the first uniform acts. Since then, the history of UIHJ in Africa and African judicial officers is written in close collaboration with the Ohada.

The UIHJ was represented by its President, Leo Netten, its Vice-President, Honoré Aggrey, and the President of the National Chamber of Judicial Officers of Burkina Faso, Rosine Bogoré.

Most heads of state of the 17 member countries of Ohada made the trip for this major celebration. The UIHJ took the measure of the exceptional privilege of being was invited to participate in the Council of Ministers of Ohada on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. Judicial officers were the only profession represented to this session...

The ceremony began on 10 October at the International Conference Centre in Ouagadougou. After the welcome words of Marin Casimir Ilboulou, Mayor of the capital of Burkina Faso and the opening speech by Dorothé Cossi Sossa, Permanent Secretary of Ohada, the ceremony was officially opened by Beyon Luc Adolphe Tiao, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso. Several events followed on the general theme of "Ohada 20 Years: Achievements and Prospects”.

First, a symposium was held on 10 and 11 October on the institutional architecture and the normative system of Ohada. The symposium was opened in the presence of Dramane Yameogo, Minister of Justice of Burkina Faso and current President of the Council of Ministers of Ohada, and Dorothé Cossi Sossa. For two days, practitioners, academics and economic actors had long exchange on this topic.

Several workshops followed on 12-13 October around various themes: harmonization and labour law, legal security and coexistence of normative systems in Ohada space, training issues and dissemination of Ohada law, status of companies. At the same time a Business Law Fair took place from 10 to 16 October, consisting of exhibitions and stands run by civil society organizations such as the Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa (Uemoa).

The anniversary ceremony resulted in an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of Ohada whose opening ceremony was held on 15 October, chaired by the Prime Minister of Burkina Faso. The UIHJ is particularly honoured to have been invited to attend, a sign of the strong links between Ohada and judicial officers.

During the Council of Ministers, Leo Netten discussed the project of the UIHJ and African judicial officers of a harmonized status of the African judicial officer for the member countries of Ohada. A draft Uniform Act prepared by the UIHJ was presented to Ohada several years ago. It was estimated that the project could not be a uniform act. Willing to find a solution, the president of the UIHJ suggested to the Council of Ministers the opportunity to develop "sub-acts of the Ohada."

This idea clearly retained the interest of ministers. The Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Ohada (CCEG) was held on 17 October, twenty years exactly after the signing of the Treaty of Port-Louis. It was chaired by Blaise Compaoré, President of Burkina Faso and Chairman of the CCEG. Among deliberation, the CCEG authorized the use of flexible harmonization processes.

This is a historic decision which is to be welcomed. It allows serenely for the implementation of the proposed harmonized status of the judicial officer, a great victory for Africa, for the UIHJ, and all judicial officers of the world.

Happy Birthday Ohada !