Constitutionalism in Africa Conference

Last Tuesday, the Faculty of Law organised a conference on "Constitutionalism in Africa" to enhance research into the successes and challenges faced by constitutions across Africa. The keynote address was given by Justice Mabel Maame Agyemang, from the Court of Appeal in Ghana. Justice Agyemang explained the challenges she has faced as a judge in Ghana, The Gambia and Swaziland, and stressed the need for a commitment to personal integrity for progress to be made. Professor Kate O'Regan, Director of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, provided the response, adding her experiences as a judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

The first panel discussed "The Courts and Constitutional Crises" with research papers from Ms Victoria Domitila Miyandazi (University of Oxford / Kenya School of Law), Dr Luis Franceschi (Dean of Strathmore Law School), and Dr Dominic Burbidge (University of Oxford).

The second panel broadened debate by focusing on "The Courts and Pluralism", with papers from Dr John Ambani (Strathmore University), Ms Maame Mensa-Bonsu (University of Oxford), and Mr Berihun Gabeye (Central European University / University of Oxford).

The conference was organised by Ms Maame Mensa-Bonsu, Professor Nick Barber and Dr Dominic Burbidge, and co-sponsored by the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights and the Programme for the Foundations of Law & Constitutional Government. It was kindly hosted in Trinity College by Professor Nick Barber, and was made possible by a generous grant from the HEFCE GCRF support fund.