The UIHJ was represented by its President, Leo Netten, its Vice President, Honoré Aggrey, and its General Secretary, Francoise Andrieux. The Presidents and representatives of African national chambers and orders were Elysee Eldjimbaye Mbaihoudou (Chad), Abdelaziz Fouganni (Morocco), Wakili Laguide (Benin), Jean Makosso Tock (Congo), Issaka Dankoma Moussa (Niger), Alain Ngongang (Cameroon), Eliane Oberdeno (Gabon), André Sama Botcho (Togo), Yacine Sene (Senegal), and Bonny Seremosi (Uganda).
President Netten welcomed the presence of Yacine Sene, former Vice President of the UIHJ and honorary member of the UIHJ, Johan Fourie, a former board member of the UIHJ and honorary member, and Bonny Seremosi, President of the judicial officers of Uganda.
Looking forward to the 3rd Africa-Europe Meetings of Judicial Officers to be held in Lomé on 26 and 27 September 2013, President Netten said that these meetings promised to be a great event as the main major organizations will be represented: the Bank World, UNCITRAL, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, Ohada, the CEPEJ, The Association Henri Capitant and ERSUMA. He said that the twentieth anniversary of the Ohada would be celebrated at these meetings and the UIHJ was invited by Ohada to participate in the birthday celebrations organized by the institution on 17 October 2013 in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). Then President Netten recalled that the current main intellectual work in progress of the UIHJ was the establishment of the Global Code of Enforcement.
Honoré Aggrey mentioned that since his election in 2009, President Netten had made the integration of the global organizations one of the highlights of his policy. Some difficulties remain with the African Union. But contacts are excellent with WAEMU and OHADA and the UIHJ probably should integrate the Economic and Monetary Committee of Central Africa (CEMAC).
Johan Fourie said he has the same goal of integration in South Africa. The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) is currently trying to establish a common platform for countries in Southern Africa that could be introduced in April 2014 with the assistance of the UIHJ. He said he was trying to motivate them to adopt a statute for the judicial officer because there often is a triptych judicial officer - Process server - Seller. The idea is to create a single profession for these three activities. Projects are currently under review and it is Uganda that serves as a leader. In this regard, President Bonny Seremosi is interested in how the judicial officers of the Ohada area come to work together. A drafting of a bill in which Jos Uitdehaag, first secretary of the UIHJ and Marc Schmitz, board member of the UIHJ, are working on, is currently under study.
Honoré Aggrey mentioned the work of CADAT (CApe Town, Dakar, Tunis), which aims to harmonize the profession of judicial officer in Africa. After the third Africa Europe meeting of judicial officers work on the service of document will start. The Presidents will be asked at the Permanent Council of the UIHJ in November 2013 to reflect the composition of the working committees.
Regarding Ufohja, it was reported that the frequency of sessions was difficult to maintain because of the political and security situation in some countries. Chad, Mali and Niger were to host Ufohja seminars but everyone had experienced various difficulties and raised the issue of insurance including for French Ufohja experts. However, it is unacceptable not to be able to organize these sessions. After discussion, it was agreed that the next Ufohja session will be held in February 2014 in Libreville (Gabon). Then a session will be held in Niamey (Niger) or, failing that, in Congo.
Then the Reflection Committee which was established in Cotonou (Benin) in February 2012 at the 30th Ufohja seminar presented the report which it had been commissioned to work on, including the establishment of a harmonized status of judicial officer in Africa. This Committee is composed of:
- Honoré Aggrey (Ivory Coast), Vice President UIHJ Committee Chair
- Jean Baptiste Kamaté (Senegal), Committee Coordinator
- Simplice Dako (Benin), rapporteur of the meeting
- Luc Sowah (Togo), member
- Hamadou Tanimoudari (Niger), member
- Jerome Okemba Ngabondo (Congo), member
President Netten congratulated the Committee for its work. A report will be sent by email to all the presidents who will have to speak on this work during the next Permanent Council in Paris.
