Arbitration in Africa

Arbitration Fund for African Students (AFAS). To advance education in the knowledge, skills, techniques, use and methods of arbitration.

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To advance education in the knowledge, skills, techniques, use and methods of arbitration.
Arbitration Fund for African Students (AFAS)
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Arbitration Fund for African Students (AFAS)

At the 2018 SOAS Arbitration in Africa conference held in Kigali, the young practitioners in attendance identified the unaffordability of arbitration conference attendance for themselves and African students as a hindrance to their career development. This led to a discussion on how best to support young practitioners and students to participate in arbitration-related moots and conferences. After the Kigali conference, Dr Emilia Onyema invited some academics and practitioners to join her in organising a Fund to meet this need. This led to the birth of the “Arbitration Fund for African Students” (AFAS) which was launched on 14 February 2019 at the SOAS Arbitration in Africa conference which held in Arusha.

The Objective of AFAS is to advance education in the knowledge, skills, techniques, use and methods of arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism.

AFAS, registered Charity under the Charities Act 2011 with Charity Number 1185823 – Charity Constitution

The Trustees are: Dr Nneka Emilia Onyema, Dr Chrispas Nyombi, and Joy Tabitha Raore.

ADR Connect Program

AFAS through its ADR Connect Program introduces arbitration and alternative dispute resolution processes to high school and university students with the purpose of engendering interest in learning more about these processes in these students who may proceed into careers in dispute resolution.
 
In 2024 AFAS delivered its training to 400 students and set up ADR Connect clubs in the following schools:
 
Ghana:
Legacy Girls College located in Akuse, Ghana.
GIMPA School of Law, Accra, Ghana.
Uganda:
Our Lady of Good Counsel, Gayaza, Uganda.
School of Law at Makerere University, Uganda.
Tanzania:
Makumira Secondary School, Mount Meru, Arusha, Tanzania.
Tumaini University, Makumira, Arusha, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania.
Rwanda:
Saint Ignatius High School 2 Kigali, Rwanda.
IFAK High School located at Kimihurura, Kigali, Rwanda.
University of Kigali School of Law, Kigali, Rwanda.
 
AFAS is grateful to Arbitral Women (https://www.arbitralwomen.org/) and Onyema Arbitration Services Limited (https://onyema-arbitration.co.uk/) for funding to enable this training. AFAS is also grateful to the administrators of each school and university, Ghana Arbitration Centre, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Uganda branch, Tanzania International Arbitration Centre, and Kigali International Arbitration Centre for their support in the delivery of the trainings.