Arusha — The training of Judicial Officers on Judicial Management of Commercial and Trade related Disputes in the EAC context organized by East African Judicial Education Committee (EAJEC) and the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with Rwanda National Judiciary and Trademark East Africa (TMA) concluded yesterday in Kigali, Rwanda.

The 20 – 23 April 2015 training aimed at enhancing the knowledge of Judicial Officers on the Management of Commercial and Trade related Disputes in the EAC Context as well as enabling them to effectively perform their roles in the EAC integration matters.

Addressing the Judicial Officers at the training during the official opening, Chief Justice of the Republic of Rwanda, Hon. Prof. Sam Rugege noted that given the increased pace of the EAC integration, disputes are bound to increase and as such there is need for Judicial Officers in the region to regularly enhance their knowledge on the EAC Trade Laws and the management of commercial and trade disputes.

He reiterated the paramount importance of the Judiciaries in the integration process and noted that the training was offering an opportunity for the stakeholders to play an active role in the promotion of justice. “The Judiciaries are expected to play a vital role in the EAC integration and actively participate in the development of the East African Community jurisprudence” asserted Rwanda’s Chief Justice.

Hon. Chief Justice Sam Rugege emphasized that e-commerce was increasingly becoming important both at national, regional and global levels, with lots of advantages in commercial transactions such as mobile money transfers, online credit-card purchases, electronic signature, among others. He noted that e-commerce was coming with challenges including online fraud and interference with financial transactions and hence the need for Judicial Officers to pay attention to topics such as Cyber-Crimes in Regional Trade including money laundering, tax evasion, hacking and terrorism.

He called upon the Partner States who do not have adequate laws on these issues to legislate them.

On his part, Hon. Justice Ferdinand L. K. Wambali, the Chairperson of the East African Judicial Education Committee reminded Judicial Officers that as interpreters and arbitrators of disputes in the region, they have a specific role in the EAC and encouraged them to take advantage of the forum and identify modern innovations to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the judicial systems of the Partner States.

Hon. Justice Wambali pointed out the importance of the training as a stepping stone in the operationalization of the Provisions of Articles 5 and 126 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.

The main resource persons were Hon. Justice Prof. James Odek, Judge of the Court of Appeal (CA) from the Republic of Kenya and Dr. Saudin James Mwakaje, Lecturer from the School of Law, University of Dar es Salam in The United Republic of Tanzania.

In attendance were Judges from the Partner States National Courts, Worships Registrars and Magistrates, representatives from the Partner States and Staff from the EAC Secretariat.

The Training was officially closed by Hon. Justice Johnston Busingye, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Rwanda.

Source: All Africa

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