The Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) held an International Thematic Workshop on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, at the Yaoundé Conference Centre and by videoconference on the theme: “Effectively Recovering Debts Owed by the State and Public Enterprises: Strategies and Practical Tools.”
Broad Regional and Multisectoral Participation
The workshop brought together approximately one hundred participants, both in person and online, from a range of countries and professional backgrounds, including judges, legal practitioners, in-house counsel, accountants, finance managers and representatives of institutional bodies. This strong turnout reflects the regional and cross-border significance of issues relating to the recovery of debts owed by public-law entities.
Expert Perspectives on the Legal and Operational Challenges of Debt Recovery from Public Authorities.
The workshop featured two keynote presentations delivered by :
· Dr Alexis NDZUENKEU, Magistrate and Director of Legal Affairs, Documentation and Communication at OHADA;
· Mr Benoit Placide MEVOUA, Magistrate, Head of the Legal Affairs Division at the Ministry of Finance and Chair of the Standing Committee for the Examination of Applications for Ex Officio Registration within the same Ministry.
The first presentation highlighted the traditional obstacles encountered in recovering debts owed by States and their constituent entities, together with the solutions introduced by the revised Uniform Act Organising Simplified Debt Recovery Procedures and Measures of Execution to address those challenges.
The second presentation focused on the institutional mechanisms established by the State of Cameroon to enable service providers and other creditors to recover their claims more expeditiously through the procedure for the ex officio registration of debts in the budget of the defaulting public institution.
These presentations provided valuable insights into the legal, institutional and practical issues arising in the recovery of debts owed by public-sector entities to private economic operators.
Enhancing Awareness and Practical Application of OHADA Law
Beyond the presentations, the workshop provided participants with a valuable forum for discussion through an interactive session. The exchanges were firmly grounded in practical realities, drawing on the analysis of case studies while also identifying avenues for reflection on how the legal framework may be enhanced and professional practices further developed.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants commended the quality of the discussions and the relevance of the initiative. They also underscored the workshop’s tangible contribution to strengthening their professional capacities and, more broadly, to enhancing legal certainty and the effective administration of justice.
