A Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts (SIFOCC) summit has discussed ways to enhance trade and economic transformation on the African continent by exploring effective commercial dispute resolution mechanisms.
This was during a conference held at Speke Resort in Kampala. It is under the theme: “Effective Commercial Dispute Resolution for Africa. The meeting attracted dozens of Chief Justices from the continent and other special guests from 31 countries majority of whom are judicial officers, legal practitioners, and commercial dispute resolution experts.
The Chief Justice of Uganda, Alfonse Owiny Dollo emphasized the importance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in resolving commercial disputes efficiently. He cited the United States of America as an example, where over 95% of disputes are resolved through ADR.
The Chief Justice encouraged African jurisdictions to adopt similar approaches, highlighting Uganda’s own efforts in promoting ADR, including a recent ADR week that resolved 237 civil cases.
He stressed the need for collective wisdom and experience-sharing among African chief justices to address common challenges in commercial dispute resolution such as ignorance, corruption, expensive legal costs and delayed disposal of cases.
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Norbert Mao who was the Chief Guest, indicated that an effective judiciary is crucial for attracting investments, essential for Uganda’s economic growth and development. He provided a historical context, explaining how societies evolve, and property relations and laws become necessary to regulate disputes.
Mao noted that Uganda has transitioned to a lower-middle-income country but still relies heavily on borrowing. He praised the Ugandan judiciary’s efforts in implementing an electronic case management system, digitization, and automation.
The Minister emphasized the importance of clear and efficient court rules, judicial accountability through an inspectorate, and effective records management in promoting economic growth and development.
The Deputy Chief Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija noted that many judicial systems, including Uganda’s, face challenges of delays and case backlog in commercial disputes. He emphasized that specialized commercial courts alone cannot resolve these issues and that ADR must be a central part of court processes.
Dr. Zeija highlighted the importance of robust collaboration between commercial courts worldwide to promote stability and prosperity. He expressed hope that the summit would provide a platform for delegates to share experiences, benchmark best practices, and forge lasting relationships.
The summit brought together chief justices, legal practitioners, and commercial dispute resolution experts to discuss legal and institutional elements to enhance access to justice in commercial disputes, share best practices, and support the rule of law.
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 under their umbrella Forum will share key insights and innovations in ADR.
During the Kampala March 2024 Chief Justice’s Forum, it was agreed that the African judiciaries must hold regular summits to promote ADR, advocate for its integration into national legal systems and ensure the respective governments invest in training, infrastructure and reform.
On the other hand, the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts (SIFoCC), founded in 2016, unites 57 jurisdictions across six continents’ commercial courts to confront shared challenges in international dispute resolution.
The Ugandan Judiciary states that Uganda’s partnership with SIFoCC is a recognition of the country’s emerging role in commercial dispute resolution and judicial reform.