Following its successful launch at the World Bank in Washington, DC, in September 2024, the Africa Arbitration Day, founded by the Africa Arbitration Academy, is now heading to France for its Paris edition, focusing on the broad theme “Resource Rights Under Fire: Engaging Stakeholder Perspectives on Africa’s Extractive Industry Disputes”.

Join us for the “Africa Arbitration Day – Paris” at the prestigious Paris Arbitration Centre by Delos. This in-person event, scheduled as part of the Paris Arbitration Week, will bring together experts in the field of arbitration to discuss the latest trends and developments in the extractive industries in Africa.

Featuring: Keynote & Panel Discussions followed by a Cocktail Reception. Panel session speakers include Attorneys-General, African government representatives, and global thought leaders. The sessions will explore the challenges and opportunities in mining and resource rights across Africa.

️Who should attend? – The event is free and open to all arbitration practitioners interested in the extractive industries and dispute resolution in Africa.

Why attend? Network with professionals, gain valuable insights, and enhance your knowledge of this dynamic industry. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and enhance your expertise in arbitration.

The conference will be followed by a cocktail reception.

Register here.

SPEAKERS

Mohamed ABDEL WAHAB, Professor of Dispute Resolution, Private International Law and English Contract Law at Cairo University; Founding Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Construction and Energy Groups at Zulficar&Partners Law Firm (Egypt); Member of the ICCA Governing Board; Dean of the Africa Arbitration Academy; Founding Member of ICODR; Chair of the International Expert Committee of the Permanent Forum for China Construction Law; Vice-Chair of the ICC Governing Body for Dispute Resolution Services; Co- Chair, IBA Arab Regional Forum; Vice President Global of the CIArb; President Elect of the CIArb (2025); Vice-Chair of the Advisory Committee of the CRCICA; Member of the Advisory Board of the MIAC; Member of the LACIAC Court of Arbitration; Member of the Board of Trustees of the CIArb; Member of the ITA Academic Council; Member of the Academic Council, Thailand Arbitration Centre’s Academy (THACA); Member of the Advisory Board, Indonesian Arbitration Centre; Member of the Court, PCA; and Member of the Inclusive Global Legal Innovation Platform on Online Dispute Resolution (iGLIP on ODR). He is a Fellow of the National Centre for Technology and Dispute Resolution at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA; and associate fellow of the Centre for Private International Law and the Centre for Commercial Law at Aberdeen University (UK). He served as ‘Arbitrator’, ‘Legal Expert’ and ‘Counsel’ in more than 255 cases, involving parties from the Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, and is recognized as a world-leading arbitrator and arbitration practitioner in international investment and international commercial arbitration, construction law & practice, Energy law and infrastructure disputes, African and Arab Laws, Islamic Shari’a, private international law and online dispute resolution. He was shortlisted among the top five arbitrators for the GAR award for the best prepared and responsive arbitrator (2021). He received the LAW Magazine 2022 Most Influential Legal Academic Award, the 2021 and 2020 Client Choice International Award, the 2019 AYA Hall-of-Fame African Arbitrator Award, the 2018 ASA International Arbitration Advocacy Prize, and the LAW Magazine 2017 Best Legal Practitioner Award. He is listed in Who’s Who Global Elite Thought Leaders: International Arbitration; selected among the Legal500 Africa Powerlist and the AYA’s Africa’s Top 30 Powerlist. He is the co-editor (with Prof Maxi Scherer and Ms. Niuscha Bassiri) of the first ever book on COVID-19 and international arbitration under the title “International Arbitration and the COVID-19 Revolution” (2020), and he is the author of the Abdel Wahab Pandemic Pathway to Virtual/Remote Hearings.. He is also the co-editor (with Prof Ethan Katsh and Mr. Daniel Rainey) of “Online Dispute Resolution: Theory and Practice” (2011 and 2021). He is the author of the Abdel Wahab Pandemic Pathway to Virtual/Remote Hearings (2020); Co-author (with Dr. Kabir Duggal) of the first book dedicated to comparing the OIC and UAIA Treaties under the title “The Resurgence of the Unified Arab Investment Agreement and the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation Investment Agreement” Brill (2022). WWL: Arbitration & Global Elite Thought Leaders (2023) says “‘He is an amazing practitioner and one of the hardest working people’ ‘His sharp mind never ceases to amaze’ ‘He is one of a kind!’”. Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (2022) says: “He is academically brilliant”, “One of the best minds on arbitration issues” and “Extremely impressive”. Chambers & Partners Global (2021) says “Peers regard Mohamed Abdel Wahab as “an absolute star in arbitration”. Legal 500 (2021) says: ‘Mohamed Abdel Wahab is a brilliant practitioner who is at the top of the international arbitration field globally. His understanding of and experience in international arbitration are matched by few’; and ‘Importantly, he is one of the most hardworking individuals in the field. His working ethos and common sense approach to complex legal problems are outstanding’.

Mmako ABRAM, her Excellency Ms. Mmako Abram is the current Attorney General for the Republic of Botswana. Ms Abram is an experienced lawyer with over 18 years of advising the government on legal matters including areas of international and commercial law.

Thabo CHAKAKA-NYIRENDA, his Excellency Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda (born 1982) is the Current Attorney General of the Republic of Malawi. Before assuming the Attorney General’s office, he worked at Malawi’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) as Manager of Ethics and Compliance Division and as In-house Legal Counsel.

Noor DAVIES, is a partner in White & Case’s International Arbitration Practice Group in Paris. She has experience in representing and advising sovereign entities and companies in international arbitration matters.

Salimatou DIALLO, is ADNA’s Managing Partner. Her practice focuses primarily on complex project development and project finance, M&A, general corporate and commercial and other matters, principally in the energy and mining sectors in Francophone Africa, advising both DFIs and sponsors. Having graduated from the University of Paris I – Pantheon Sorbonne and the American University of Washington DC with an LL.M, Salimatou began her career in the Paris offices of major UK and international law firm Hogan Lovells and later Herbert Smith Freehills, where she was promoted to Of Counsel. After 10 years’ experience working on African projects, particularly on cross-border transactions across all sectors, contract negotiation and structuring partnerships with African government bodies, Salimatou decided to establish her own independent law practice in Conakry. Salimatou Diallo is ranked as a tier one lawyer by both Chambers Global and IFLR1000.

Sarah FAFA KPODO, currently acts as Chief State Attorney and Director Legal at the Ministry of Energy in Ghana.

Daniel MUZOORA, is the Manager Legal Services at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, which monitors and regulates petroleum activities in the country. He has extensive experience of over ten (10) years in a wide variety of disciplines with emphasis in oil and gas law. He has worked in Uganda’s oil and gas sector for a decade. Daniel is also experienced in agreement negotiation, legal compliance, and legal advice. Daniel is dual qualified as an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda, and a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales (non-practising). He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, an LLM in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in Uganda.
Daniel has participated in policy and legislation development in Uganda’s oil and gas sector. His involvement includes taking part in the drafting of legislation for the sector as well the relevant policies and model agreements required by Government to facilitate the development of the country’s oil and gas resources. Daniel has also participated in the negotiation of agreements in Uganda’s oil and gas sector. These include production sharing agreements between Government and investors, inter- governmental agreements between Uganda and other states, as well the other host government and relevant commercial agreements required to implement oil and gas projects in the country.
Daniel also advises on the legal aspects associated with the regulation of the oil and gas industry.

Abayomi OKUBOTE, featured in the Legal 500 Africa Arbitration Powerlist 2021 as “one of the thought leaders of arbitration in Africa” and described by peers as “innovative” and “exceptional”, Abayomi is an International Arbitration Partner at Pensbury Attorneys & Solicitors – an arbitration boutique law firm in Nigeria. He has garnered circa 15 years’ experience in dispute resolution. He was part of the teams that represented multinational and domestic corporations in high profile commercial disputes and has advised government agencies on several cutting-edge projects in Africa. Beyond leading big-ticket mandates, the multiple award winner is the prime mover behind several important arbitration initiatives in Africa. He is the Founder of the Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA), the Executive Director of the Africa Arbitration Academy and is the Managing Editor of the African Journal of International Arbitration. Abayomi is an alumnus of Queen’s University in Canada, the University College London, Harvard Negotiation Institute, ICC Summer School, and the Paris Arbitration Academy. He has completed work programs in the London offices of Baker McKenzie LLP and 4-5 Gray’s Inn. Abayomi has been appointed and has sat as an arbitrator in several domestic and international arbitrations. He is a Professor of International Business Law at Loyalist College in Canada, Visiting Professor at the College of Law in Bowen University in Nigeria, Tutor and Faculty Member at the CIArb Diploma in International Arbitration Programme and Associate Member at Aberdeen University Centre for Energy. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Member of the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, Court Member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre and is listed on panels at the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration, and Kigali International Arbitration Centre. The H.R. Stuart Ryan Award Fellow has published several thought leadership materials. He is Co-chair of the Africa Committee for Greener Arbitration Pledge.

Nania OWUSU-ANKOMAH, is a Partner in the Disputes practice group of the firm. She regularly advises and represents clients in a range of high value litigation and arbitration disputes and is highly regarded by her peers and clients for her experience in cross-border disputes. She also sits as an arbitrator in both international and domestic arbitrations in institutional and ad hoc proceedings. She has been appointed as sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator by the LCIA, ICC and Ghana Arbitration Centre, and is also listed on CPR’s Panels of Distinguished Neutrals and the Ghana ADR Hub List of Arbitrators. Nania’s clients include Tullow, Epiroc, Stena Drilling Limited, Champion X, Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, AngloGold Ashanti (GH) Ltd., Abosso Goldfields Limited, American Tower Company Limited, Moringa Mauritius Africa and Moringa SCA SICAR, Ghana Oil Palm Development Company Limited, Monjasa DMCC, GOS Limited, FBN Bank Limited and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is a member of the Court of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and President of the LCIA African Users’ Council. She is Chair of the Ghana Chapter of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and a member of the English Commercial Bar (COMBAR) Africa Committee. Nania is also a member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration & ADR and a board member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre. She previously served as Co-Chair of the Africa Arbitration Group of the International Bar Association (IBA) Arbitration Committee, after serving as editor of the IBA Arbitration Committee Newsletter. Nania was formerly a member of the three-panel Electronic Communications Tribunal of the Republic of Ghana, a quasi-judicial body that hears appeals in respect of the regulation and licensing of telecommunications companies, television stations and radio stations in Ghana. She was part of the Task Force for the Commonwealth International Arbitration Study commissioned by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which comprised leading arbitration practitioners within the Commonwealth. She regularly delivers training on various aspects of arbitration practice and also regularly speaks at arbitration conferences. She lectures in Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Ghana School of Law and is called to the Bar in England and Wales and in Ghana. She is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, Middle Temple Inns of Court and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK). Nania holds a B.A(Hons) from the University of Ghana, a Qualifying Law Degree & LLM from the University of Leeds and a Qualifying Certificate in Law from the Ghana School of Law. She undertook the Bar Vocational Course at the College of Law (now University of Law) in London, where she obtained a Post-graduate Diploma in Law.

Tafadzwa PASIPANODYA, is a partner in Foley Hoag’s international litigation and arbitration department and chairs the firm’s Africa practice group. For almost two decades, she has represented sovereign States from all over the world in investor-state arbitrations concerning natural resources, mining, the environment, infrastructure, and health policy before arbitration tribunals.

Olivier POGNON, is a Beninese national and joins the ALSF after spending 7 years at Airtel Africa Plc (Nairobi, Kenya), a telecommunications company listed on the London Stock Exchange, as the Chief Legal Officer, where he was responsible for the oversight of the group legal practice, including litigation management, legal compliance, corporate governance and merger and acquisition transactions among others.vPrior to joining Airtel Africa, he worked as senior legal counsel for MTN Group in Accra, Ghana and Johannesburg, South Africa(2009 to 2014); legal counsel at Agence Française de Développement (2008-2009) and as an associate specializing in corporate law and project finance, respectively at EY Law, CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre and Mayer Brown in Paris, France. With 15 years’ experience as an international lawyer, Olivier brings a strong background in strategic leadership, stakeholder management skills alongside a global outlook, and a collaborative and business approach to building organizations. His responsibilities as Director and CEO will include the day-to-day administration of the Facility and oversight of the Facility’s operations in providing legal advisory services, negotiations support, and capacity building to African countries in relation to debt management and creditor litigation, infrastructure, extractives, and energy transactions, as well as investment agreements and related commercial transactions. As the legal representative of the Facility, he will also foster collaboration with relevant partners and organizations to enhance the impact of the ALSF’s programmes for its beneficiaries in Africa. Olivier holds a master’s degree in Project Finance and Structured Finance from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées, France (2005-2006), post-graduate degree in business law from Paris V Malakoff University, France (1996-1998) as well as qualifications in strategic leadership and finance from INSEAD (France). He is married with three children.

Alpha SESAY, his Excellency Mr. Alpha Sesay serves as the Deputy Minister of Justice for Sierra Leone. He holds a Master’s degree (LL.M) in International Human Rights Law from the University of Notre Dame Law School, USA, and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B. Hons) from the University of Sierra Leone. He was called to the Sierra Leone Bar in 2004. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr. Sesay served as the Senior Democracy, Rights, and Governance Advisor for USAID in Sierra Leone. He also held the position of Senior Advocacy Officer at the Open Society Justice Initiative, based in Washington DC (USA), where he focused on human rights litigation and advocacy before regional and international human rights mechanisms. Mr. Sesay has extensive experience in international human rights, international criminal justice, and broader issues relating to accountability for atrocity crimes. He has worked with institutions such as the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, and regional human rights bodies including the ECOWAS Court, African Commission, and Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. He has engaged with international and regional bodies including the United Nations, European Union, and African Union, on various issues including human rights, governance, rule of law, and justice sector reform. Mr. Sesay is the founding president of the Fourah Bay College Human Rights Clinic and the founding Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Court Monitoring Program. He has collaborated with the UN and various international human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the International Center for Transitional Justice. He has also published, taught, delivered lectures, and spoken extensively on human rights and international justice at prestigious universities worldwide. In 2018, Mr. Sesay was a Visiting Human Rights Fellow at Harvard Law School, conducting research and teaching on regional human rights protection and litigation, and international criminal justice. He has served as an expert commentator on human rights and international justice issues for prominent media outlets including BBC, SKY News, and Radio France International

Iris SAUVAGNAC, is a Senior Associate in Hogan Lovells’ International Arbitration team in London focusing on public international law and, in particular, dispute settlement under investment treaties. Iris acts for States, international organisations and businesses in international disputes, primarily international arbitrations under the ICSID, UNCITRAL, LCIA and ICC rules. She has experience of dispute settlement in the oil and gas, renewable energy, aviation, media, telecommunications, and mining sectors. Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Iris acquired experience in commercial arbitration, commercial litigation and public international law in leading law firms in London, Paris and Barcelona.

Lolade TIJANI, is an Attorney at Chevron Nigeria with about 7 years’ experience in commercial transactions and dispute resolution in energy, renewable energy, and oil and gas sectors. She has experience representing corporations in arbitration as an arbitration counsel and managing arbitration disputes as an in-house counsel for the company.