While various geopolitical events are impacting the world, East Africa remains an active ground for disputes resolution, and it’s vital for international lawyers to collaborate with both local legal professionals and clients who are operating in or want to invest in the region, says Poupak Anjomshoaa.
“Over the last few years we’ve seen projects put on hold worldwide because of the global economic downturn, Covid-19, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the global energy crisis, and instability in the Middle East,” noted Anjomshoaa, who will be one of 11 UK legal professionals taking part in the GREAT Legal Services series of events with East African counterparts.
“But projects in Africa, particularly East Africa, are not necessarily impacted in the same way because there continues to be a need for more energy resources, more infrastructure and further development and industrialisation, so these projects can’t be shelved there,” she said. “Equally, there’s a growing need to extract natural resources, not just oil and gas, but also minerals critical to the energy transition.”
Anjomshoaa is a barrister and head of the disputes practise at Trinity International LLP, a boutique firm with a focus on projects, large transactions and international arbitration and dispute resolution in emerging markets. Given their longstanding expertise in Africa and her recent work on disputes arising from projects in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and the DRC, Anjomshoaa leapt at the opportunity to join the first GREAT Legal Services programme in East Africa.
“Delegates are going to have the opportunity to engage with private practice lawyers, in-house counsel and governments from all over the region, and we’ll learn about the projects and transactions taking place and the challenges that exist at the legal level for lawyers, but also the business context for clients,” explained Anjomshoaa. “The key is to have a real interest in the people, not just the legal and business landscape or interests.”
Among other topics, delegates at the East African events will discuss the key issues driving change and opportunity with regard to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and other similar trade agreements on the continent, as well as international asset tracing and anti-money laundering global financial regulation standards, private equity and venture capital.
Having recently joined the GREAT Legal Services delegation alongside the IBA in Paris, Anjomshoaa witnessed first-hand the benefits both local and international attendees can gain from attending roundtables and networking activities, something she hopes to repeat in Kenya and Tanzania to help forge lasting relationships.
“There are huge opportunities for collaboration and capacity building between UK and East African lawyers, with everyone learning from each other,” she pointed out. Trinity International regularly works with African lawyers on projects and disputes, hosts junior African lawyers as summer interns in London, and supports International Lawyers for Africa (IFLA), a capacity-building organisation whose goal is to enhance the quality and delivery of legal services to clients across Africa and to strengthen the rule of law in Africa.
“We’re also keen to contribute to the provision of advanced training in international arbitration advocacy and business and human rights,” Anjomshoaa said, pointing to the potentially adverse environmental and social impacts of unchecked project development. “If you want to build trust, attract investment and develop your country while protecting your population against adverse effects, you need to understand and observe internationally recognised guiding principles.”
To stay up to date on UK MOJ Legal Services events, follow GREAT Legal Services. To hear more about the East African event series please contact Africa Legal by emailing admin@africa-legal.com or read this article.
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