Jules Masuku (University of Würzburg): Contribution of Supranational Courts to the Integration Process in Africa: The Case of the CCJA

The lecture will be held in French.

About the speaker:
Jules Masuku Ayikaba holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Kinshasa and an LL.M. in European Law from the University of Würzburg, where he is currently a doctoral student under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Feichtner and a lecturer in business law in Africa. His research interests focus on competition law, international trade law and legal integration in Africa from a comparative perspective.

About the topic:
Significant strides toward integration have been made at both regional and continental levels in Africa. Many African policymakers see integration as a winning proposition for their countries that improves trade, increases market size, strengthens political and economic institutions, enhances export competitiveness, and improves efficiency gains. The creation of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) and the establishment of its powerful judicial institution, the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration (CCJA) aim at contributing to “the establishment of an African economic community” (Preamble of the OHADA Treaty). Notwithstanding its weaknesses, the CCJA seems to contribute considerably to the integration process in western and central Africa, in contrast to other supranational courts in Africa. With the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), the CCJA could play a more important role in the integration process in Africa in the future. Hence, it is crucial to define the relation between OHADA (and the CCJA) and the AfCTA.

About the virtual workshop series:
There is a growing interest in the study of private international law in Africa. In an environment of growing international transactions in both civil and commercial matters, private international law can play a significant role in Africa in addressing issues such as globalization, regional economic integration, immigration, etc. The series intends to discuss new scholarly work on private international law in Africa and advance solutions on how the current framework of that field can be improved on the continent.