COMMUNIQUE
The High Regional School of Magistracy (ERSUMA) of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) organizes the first Edition of the International Forum for Legal Professionals on « Investment Negotiation and Consulting within OHADA Zone ».
This Forum will hold from 14 to 15 november 2019 in Dakar (Senegal).
1. Context and justification
The legal and judicial professions are many and varied. Some are traditional and among the oldest and best-shared professions in the world while others are more recent and are the result of the meeting of service needs and the available professional skills.
Associated professions like auxiliaries or intermediaries to the legal and judicial professions which main purpose is to make means and methods available for them for an efficent achievement of their goal are also included in these professions today. They build the capacity of legal professionals and provide them with innovative solution in the course of their activities particularly through the use of Information and Communication technology. The performance of the proposed technical means is such that they are unavoidable for the professions which are the most reluctant to technological developement.
The evolution of the nomenclature and sometimes of the nature of the legal and judicial professions has been accelerated thanks in particular to the professionnal meetings, a platform of exchanges and definition of policies adapted to the objectives of the profession. Thus, many legal and judicial professions organize seminars and especially annual conferences. Among them can be pointed out – the international conference of notaries, the Conference of African Notaries, the international conference of Bailiffs and enforcement agents, the International Conference of Lawyers, Inter-african Forum of Corporate Lawyers or African Conference of Business Lawyers and the Annual meetings of the African Association of French speaking High Jurisdictions (AAHJF). All these events has the merit of being an exchanges platform between legal practitioners. However, even if they tend to preach openness, they are essentially sectoral with the particiaption of professional from a given sector or trade.
Taking into account the need for interprofessional synergy in the life and practice of Law and convinced of the great contribution of interprofessionalism to the expansion of the legal and judicial professions as well as the economic development of the States, High Regional School of Magistracy (ERSUMA) of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) has instituted the International Forum for Legal Professionals (FIPROD).
FIPROD is a professional event characterized by its diversity and openness. It is a meeting and exchange platform which gathers all the legal practioners from all professions. It is the most important crucible for legal professionals since it gathers them around a common goal with three components- expansion of legal and judicial professions, effectivness of Law, and economic efficiency of Law. Achieving this common goal requires that the legal professionals know one another’s professions, identify the systemic issues and work in synergy. FIPROD intends then to be the link between legal professionals from different backgrounds and fields and whose interprofessional collaboration is essential for the development of their profession and the satisfaction of the beneficiaries of the offered services.
ERSUMA with its pole of excellency in training and research in African Community Business Law and with its strong orientation towards interprofessionalism in the service of economic development is piloting the FIPROD by organizing its first edition in Dakar (Senegal) on November 14 and 15, 2019. This edition which will unveil the organization of this important biennial event will take place on « Investment and consulting negotiation within OHADA zone »
The chosen theme fits in perfectly with the orientations of OHADA and its member States as well as those of legal and judicial professions. Indeed, the development of local and foreign investments is the overriding goal of the Member States. Among the means implemented features prominently the legal and judicial protection which are essential for every investor. This is the reason for the interest and active involvement of OHADA, a tool for business performance and for the emergence of a large market firmly built on legal and judicial certyainity fundation. The life of the system being made by the players, the legal professionals are at the very heart of the process of investment development. They take part in the negotiations, provide consulting services, draft the legal documents, fulfill formalities, are involved in the process of amicable settlement in case of dispute and constitute the key link for voluntary or forced execution of contractual obligations deriving from investments.
The professional importance of the theme of this first edition of FIPROAD appears therefore unequivocal
2. Objectives
The objective of this first edition of FIPROD is to contribute to the interprofessional synergy in the field of business. It aims at the promotion of meeting between legal professionals as well as between legal professionals and their clients, investors and business leaders.
The discussion between the participants will help to :
appreciate the capacity of the legal professionals to respond efficiently to the request for support services from local and foreign investors.
better adapt the services of ERSUMA to the training needs concerning negotiation and consultancy in the field of Investment.
strengthen the capacity of the legal professionals on investment contract negotiation techniques.
appreciate the level of attractiveness of the legal framework of investment in Africa in general and in OHADA zone in particular ;
facilitate the establishment of a platform for interprofessional collaboration between the different players of OHADA zone on one hand and between them and the international firms on the second hand ;
highlight the contribution and complementarity of legal and econominc integration as well as the one of the technical and financial partners for the mobilization of investors in Africa in general and within OHADA zone in particular.
Besides, this edition will offer the service providers and suppliers a farmework for the promotion of legal tools and innovative solutions necessary to practice legal activities.
3. Forward planning
4. Profile of participants
Lawyers, notaries, bailiffs, judges, chartered accountants , certified accountants, business and corporate lawyers, investors, economic operators, companies’managers and executives agents and executives from offices in charge of the promotion of investments, executives from legal departments, executives and agents from admin and finances departments, executives and agents from authorized management centers, agents and executives from chambers of commerce and Industry, agents and executives from insurance companies, tax experts, economists, auditors, agents and executives from public and private sectors, contract managers, bank and insurance lawyers, mediators, arbitrators, academics, banks, national , regional and international financial institutions, legal and economic integration organizations, technical and financial partners, professional associations.
5. Sponsorship and partnership offer
The International Forum of Legal Professionals (FIPROD) will offer services providers, suppliers from various industries the opportunity to promote their products and services with the legal professionals and institutions attending this forum.
The forum is then a communication space for the enhancement of the visibility and business reputation of the partner companies on regional level as well as the international level. For this first edition, five (5) sponsorship categories are proposed-
Professional Association Partnership
Official Sponsorship
Forum Sponsorship
Gala Evening Sponsorship
Tourism Sponsorship.
The interested Professional associations, service providers and suppliers can directly contact ERSUMA at the address below.
6. Participation Conditions
Download the registration form by clicking on the link below :
https://www.ohada.org/attachments/article/3158/FORMULAIRE_FIPROD.docx
Fill and send the form by mail to : ersuma@ohada.org and olory-togbe.ersuma@ohada.org ;
Pay the participation costs as follow :
250.000 CFA F : Professionals
200.000 CFA F : academics
A 10% discounts will be granted for at least 3 participants coming from the same entity (firm, enterprise, institution, etc…)
The costs of participation shall also cover the learning materials and equipments, coffee and lunch breaks during the forum work days, the certificates and the cost for the evening gala. The participant shall bear travel, accommodation and other food related expenses.
For any further inquiry or registration, please contact us at :
HIGH REGIONAL SCHOOL OF MAGISTRACY (ERSUMA)
Ouando, Carrefour Cinquantenaire – Route de Pobè
02 BP 353 Porto-Novo, RĂ©publique du BĂ©nin
phone : +229 20 24 58 04 – 97 97 05 37 – 95 40 31 90
E-mails : ersuma@ohada.org
