An international symposium organised by OHADA in partnership with the Burundi Legal Lab officially opened on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, at the Donatus Conference Centre in Bujumbura under the theme: “Burundi and the Harmonisation of Business Law: Challenges and Prospects of OHADA Law and Regional Community Legal Frameworks in Africa.”
The opening ceremony of the symposium, held under the high patronage of the highest authorities of Burundi, featured four addresses.
In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Professor Guy BUCUMI, expressed the hope that the symposium would serve as a catalyst for Burundi’s accession process to OHADA.
For his part, Mr Jeremy GRAND, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of France to the Republic of Burundi, reaffirmed his country’s support for efforts aimed at improving the business environment in Burundi and underscored that OHADA constitutes a key instrument for achieving this objective.
In his keynote address, the Permanent Secretary of OHADA, Professor Mayatta Ndiaye MBAYE, recalled that the Organisation serves as a tool for the economic development of its Member States. He further noted that Burundi, which currently holds the rotating Chairmanship of the African Union, naturally has its place within OHADA.
Officially opening the symposium, Mr Alfred AHINGEJEJE, Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Gender, highlighted Burundi’s sustained commitment to establishing a modern business law framework, which is essential for improving the business climate and attracting increased investment.
The symposium seeks to foster in-depth reflection on the contemporary dynamics of business law harmonisation in Africa, with particular emphasis on Burundi’s role within regional and continental legal integration processes. Over the course of three days, representatives from various public institutions, senior judges of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court of Burundi, judges from lower courts, academics, lawyers, notaries, in-house counsel, officials of the Central Bank of Burundi, and experts from diverse backgrounds will engage in discussions on ongoing integration dynamics across Africa, with a particular focus on the prospects for Burundi’s accession to OHADA.
