GIMPA Law Dean Visits The Hague to Boost Global Court Ties

GIMPA Law School Dean Dr Kwaku Agyeman‑Budu returned from The Hague on Wednesday after a high‑profile courtesy call on Marcin Czepelak, Secretary‑General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, as part of Ghana’s delegation to the 24th Annual Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute. He was accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice.

The meeting, held at the historic Peace Palace, focused on fast‑tracking Ghana’s accession to the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, a step the dean says will strengthen the nation’s legal and dispute‑resolution framework. The agreement would align Ghana with over sixty signatory states and open new avenues for arbitration.

“This visit will underscore GIMPA Law School’s mission to be a centre of excellence where theory meets practice,” Dr Agyeman‑Budu said. He stressed that exposure to international arbitration would give students practical skills and raise the nation’s profile in global dispute resolution.

The dean highlighted GIMPA’s track record of hosting ICC judges and international tribunal officials for public lectures, and he extended a formal invitation to the PCA Secretary‑General to visit Ghana – a first for the court’s leadership. He noted that such a visit would reinforce Ghana’s role as a hub for international law in Africa.

Ms Christine Amankwa, an alumna of GIMPA Law School and Assistant Legal Counsel at the PCA, coordinated the meeting. Her dual experience in Ghanaian legal education and the PCA facilitated a productive dialogue on future collaboration.

Should Ghana ratify the Hague Conventions, the country could tap into peaceful settlement mechanisms, attract foreign investment and boost development cooperation, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted. The ministries indicated that accession would also streamline cross‑border commercial cases and reinforce Ghana’s commitment to the rule of law.

GIMPA Law School plans to explore a memorandum of understanding with the PCA that mirrors its existing MoU with the International Criminal Court, aiming to broaden academic exchange, joint research and capacity‑building initiatives under its new LLM programme in Dispute Resolution Law and Practice. The programme, launched last year, already hosts students from across West Africa, preparing them for careers in arbitration and mediation.

The next step is a formal government review of the accession process, after which the dean hopes the PCA will schedule a visit later this year, cementing Ghana’s role as a hub for international law in Africa. Stakeholders anticipate that the partnership will attract scholars and practitioners, positioning Accra as a regional arbitration hub.

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