By KT Reporter
The Ugandan Judiciary will, starting Friday, May 23, 2025, host a landmark international summit on commercial dispute resolution, bringing together legal minds to explore modern and traditional dispute settlement approaches in Africa.
The two-day event, dubbed the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts (SIFoCC) Africa Continental ADR Commercial Justice Summit, will take place at the Speke Resort Munyonyo from May 23, 2025. The summit is expected to draw over 300 participants, including judges, legal professionals, academics, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) practitioners from 28 countries.
According to the Acting Chief Registrar, Pamella Lamunu Ocaya, the conference seeks to integrate Africa’s rich traditions of dialogue and mediation into the formal commercial justice system. “We recognize that Alternative Dispute Resolution is not new to Africa. It reflects long-standing traditional practices of dialogue, mediation, and community justice that predate the colonial court systems,” said Ocaya while addressing the press at the Supreme Court in Kampala on Wednesday.
The summit will run under the theme: “Effective Commercial Dispute Resolution for Africa.” Ocaya said the summit will explore how ADR can address common challenges facing commercial courts. It will also equip legal professionals with skills to guide clients in ADR, help establish a specialized faculty to develop ADR training and curriculum for African judiciaries, and advocate for legal reforms to embed ADR into justice systems.
She noted that ADR offers a faster, more affordable, and culturally aligned alternative to lengthy litigation, thus easing pressure on commercial courts. Supreme Court Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, Vice Chairperson of the organizing committee, said that ADR is a win-win approach that avoids the adversarial nature of litigation.
“Commercial disputes often arise from relationships that have soured. With ADR, we can restore those ties while saving time and money,” Bamugemereire said, adding that the judiciary has trained ADR experts whom the public should utilize.
Bamugemereire revealed that 11 Chief Justices, including those from Malawi, Benin, Zimbabwe, India, Doha, and Zambia, have already confirmed attendance, with more delegates expected from across Africa and beyond.
The outcomes from the Kampala summit will be presented at the 6th SIFoCC Global Meeting in New Delhi in November 2025, where African Chief Justices will share key insights and innovations in ADR.
Also in attendance at the press briefing were Her Worship Patricia Amoko, Private Legal Secretary to the Chief Registrar, and Registrar Zulaika Nanteza, in charge of ADR at the Judiciary, who translated the proceedings into Luganda.
The Africa Chief Justices’ ADR Forum (ACJAF), established in March 2024, aims to ensure regular continental summits, legal reforms, and investment in ADR systems. Uganda’s partnership with SIFoCC, a global body founded in 2016 and comprising 57 jurisdictions, underscores its emerging leadership in commercial dispute resolution and judicial reform-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
