ADR Summit 2024 – The African Chief Justices' Summit for Alternative Dispute Resolution

OUR HISTORY

The Africa Chief Justices ADR Forum (ACJADRF) was born out of a continental desire to strengthen justice systems in Africa through homegrown solutions that combine modern legal advancements with Africa’s rich heritage of amicable settlement of disputes.

Established in 2024 during the First continental Africa Chief Justices ADR Summit held on the 5th and 6th March, 2024 at Mestil Hotel in Kampala, Uganda, the Summit brought together chief justices from across the African continent under a common commitment; to lead transformative efforts aimed at improving access to justice through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Now marking one year of impactful existence, with representation from 23 Judiciaries across the African continent, ACJADRF stands as a testament to the visionary leadership of Africa’s judiciary heads who recognized that traditional justice mechanisms long sidelined by colonial legal frameworks remain relevant, responsive, and effective in resolving disputes within communities.

OUR OBJECTIVES

Promote ADR and AJS reforms led by Chief Justices to align with SDG 16.
Support the regular convening of the Africa Chief Justices’ Summit on ADR and AJS.
Advocate for the appointment of ADR focal persons in each African country.
Encourage African Governments to allocate sufficient funding for ADR and AJS initiatives.
Foster partnerships with research institutions to explore the intersections of ADR and AJS.
Promote the adoption of an annual “ADR/AJS Week” to raise awareness and build trust.
Advocate for revisions in legal education to incorporate ADR and AJS.
Support the enactment or revision of laws to standardize and enforce ADR practices.
Establish recognition systems to celebrate the achievements of ADR practitioners.
Strengthen collaboration among ADR centers and institutes across Africa.

OUR HUMBLE JOURNEY

Uganda National ADR Summit 2023

The birth of the Forum began in Kampala, Uganda at the Africa Chief Justice’s ADR Summit in 2024 where 12 supreme court chief justices from across the African continent and justices and judges of African judiciaries resolved to create a Forum called the Africa Chief Justices’ Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Forum dedicated to championing the reform and promotion of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) across Africa.

The Summit was hosted by the Judiciary of the Republic of Uganda in partnership with Pepperdine University.

Africa Chief Justice’s ADR Summit 2024

Following the success of the 2023 Uganda National ADR Summit, the Judiciary of Uganda in Partnership with Pepperdine University resolved to hold the first-ever Africa Chief Justice’s ADR Summit 2024.

From Tuesday, March 5 to Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Kampala, Uganda, Pepperdine University and the Ugandan Judiciary hosted nearly 300 officials, including 12 supreme court chief justices from across the African continent and justices and judges of African judiciaries. The event drew participants from around the world to discuss ways to advocate for the use of ADR mechanisms—the different ways disputes can be resolved without a trial, such as plea bargaining, mediation, arbitration, and neutral evaluation—in the delivery of justice.

At the Summit, Resolutions were made by the African Chief Justices to devise progressive future ways of promoting ADR across the continent.