By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Legal experts and arbitration practitioners from Africa and abroad have analyzed the critical challenges involved in drafting, enforcing, and implementing mediation agreements. These issues were addressed on March 31 in Yaoundé during the 4th edition of African Arbitration and Mediation Day (JAAM).
Held under the theme “The Mediation Agreement and the Arbitral Award,” the event brought together leading figures in international dispute resolution to strengthen knowledge and practice of mediation and arbitration across the continent.
The summit was organised by the Association for the Promotion of Arbitration in Africa (APAA) in partnership with the International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation Abuja (ICAMA), and in collaboration with the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Minister Delegate to the Ministry of Justice, Jean De Dieu Momo, representing Cameroon’s Minister of State, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso—patron of the event—stressed the importance of mediation and arbitration.
He noted that although the legal framework is still being built, “it is already admitted in the legal arsenal of our country that arbitration and mediation are alternative forms of justice.” He added that Cameroon encourages these mechanisms and observed that many judicial personnel, including magistrates and lawyers, are seeking training in alternative dispute resolution.
Gaston Kenfack Douajni (PhD), President of APAA and a Cameroonian legal officer, emphasised that mediation and arbitration are highly valued Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods whose promotion and proper practice positively impact national development.
He noted that while mediation and arbitration aim to resolve disputes between parties in a business relationship while preserving those relationships, the mediation agreement and the arbitral award—the instruments that bring these processes to an end—must be carefully drafted to ensure effective implementation.
On his part, Mbah Eric Mbah, president of the Cameroon Bar Association, acknowledged that arbitration and mediation are now central means for resolving disputes, but regretted that Cameroon remains behind in arbitration legislation.
“We only rely on a few aspects of OHADA arbitration in Cameroon,” he said. “It is high time we took advantage of the moment so that, when business truly moves onto the commercial and economic superhighway in Africa, Cameroonians will have arbitration legislation capable of supporting a solid, independent, corruption-free arbitration centre.”]
The summit also saw the signing of strategic memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between the Russian Arbitration Association, represented by Roman Zikov, and both APAA and the African Arbitration Association, signalling expanding international cooperation in dispute resolution.
A notable highlight was an online presentation by Anna Joubin‑Bret, who provided global perspectives on mediation and arbitration, accompanied by an introductory report from former CCJA President Esther Ngo Moutngui.
Across four technical sessions, participants examined drafting and enforcing mediation agreements, implementation challenges, and recognition of arbitral awards within and beyond OHADA jurisdictions.
More than 100 participants attended, including leaders and executives of African organisations promoting economic and legal integration, senior staff from private organisations, magistrates, solicitors, notaries and court officials, economic operators, corporate lawyers, and executives of arbitration and mediation institutions.
Other speakers at the summit included ICAMA Director and former Nigerian Minister of Justice Ojo Bayo; Mbah Eric Mbah, President of the Cameroon Bar Association; and Jean‑Marie Kambuma Nsula, President of the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration (CCJA), representing OHADA.
