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Glo canvasses for local arbitrators in Africa
L-R: Justina Abdulateef of Public Sector, Globacom; Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), Former Attorney General of the Federation; Gladys Talabi, Executive Director, Legal Services, Globacom, and Reekado Banks, Glo Ambassador, at the Gala Night for delegates at the Globacom-sponsored 1st ICC Africa Regional Arbitration Conference held at Eko Hotel, recently.
Grandmasters of data, Globacom, has canvassed for the use of local arbitrators in Africa as a way of building local capacity in the field.
Globacom stated this as the company sponsored a three-day International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Africa Regional Conference on arbitration.
Coordinator, Commercial, Globacom, Ike Oraekwuotu, who represented the company’s chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr., at an investment roundtable, which formed a key part of the conference, stated that Globacom is irrevocably committed to growing expertise on arbitration on the African continent.
In all the countries where we have operations on the West African coast, whenever any dispute arises between us and our broad spectrum of partners, as is it is bound to happen in a business environment, it is our policy to engage local arbitrators in the respective countries to help achieve a resolution agreeable to all parties” he said
Panelists called for the institution of arbitration processes and judicial policies to encourage investors to choose arbitration instead of going through the long and winding route of legal actions.
In his remarks, International Court of Arbitration’s president, Alexis Mourre, stated that the First Africa Regional Arbitration Conference of the International Chamber of Commerce, considering the level of participation, is the most successful of all such conferences on five continents.
According to him, over 70 percent of all arbitrators were of Western Europe or North American origins. He therefore called for more diversity in the global community of arbitrators.
“Africa is the future of arbitration” he declared, and called for more Africans to join the Arbitration profession.
The President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Augustine Alegeh who also spoke at the conference said if arbitration was given its due recognition, it could help Nigeria to decongest the courts as many cases ought not to go to litigation. He adding that he is confident that the conference would help expand the frontiers of knowledge on arbitration in Africa.
Expressing gratitude to Globacom and other sponsors of the arbitration conference, Dorothy Udeme Ufot, the Chairperson of the Planning Committee of the conference, said their support has raised the profile of Nigeria in the global community of arbitrators.
Globacom’s Executive Director, Legal Services, Gladys Talabi, while speaking at the Gala Night restated the company’s commitment to promoting local capacity in all aspects of the economy.
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