africanlegalstudies.blog – Page 6 – Cutting edge analysis on key issues in African politics, law and development

Bottom-Up Approach to Just Transition in the Mining Industry
Amid escalating impacts of climate change, energy transition is strikingly necessary to tackle climate change. There is an equally important question as the necessity of transition: how this energy transition will be conducted, especially if it will perpetuate or exacerbate the past injustices.[1] Unlike what has been hinted at from time to time, we strongly…
A legitimacy critique of the usage of IFC Performance Standards (2012) in relation to human rights by development financiers and agencies
This blog piece is part of our ongoing “Rethinking Legal Research in and with Africa” symposium. To access the introduction explaining the framework, click here (ALS / LDC), to access the overview of the symposium click here (ALS / LDC). At the Rethinking Legal Research in and with Africa Workshop, Prof. Dr Thoko Kaime presented…
Global tug of war in international negotiations: Global South and North standpoints on victimhood in the draft legally binding instrument
This blog piece is part of our ongoing “Rethinking Legal Research in and with Africa” symposium. To access the introduction explaining the framework, click here (ALS / LDC), to access the overview of the symposium click here (ALS / LDC). The workshop Rethinking Legal Research in and with Africa brought together scholars and participants to…

State obligations in addressing Climate Change: The interplay between the climate treaty regime and international Human Rights law
Introduction Recent climate events illustrate the growing human impact of climate change.[1] However, the legal framework governing state responsibility remains fragmented. This short piece argues that while climate treaties provide the primary institutional framework for mitigation, adaptation and international cooperation, human rights law imposes more stringent and enforceable duties on states. I highlight how the…
How African countries are managing the potentially catastrophic risks of just transition through the investment regime
Introduction Foreign investment has long been an important policy tool for countries seeking to transform their economies. The international investment regime—comprising treaties and institutions—has supported this objective by creating policies to attract and protect investment. For developing countries, foreign investment plays a particularly crucial role in alleviating poverty, generating employment opportunities, and fostering economic…
Branching Scenario Tool
Environmental Law and Climate Justice: Case Study on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Introduction Welcome to the Branching Scenarios Tool “Environmental Law and Climate Justice: Case Study on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline”! This digital tool was developed as part of a seminar held by the Chair of African Legal Studies at the…

The Human Rights Situation in the Federal Republic of Somalia: Challenges and Perspectives
Introduction The Federal Republic of Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, bears the scars of a past marked by colonial rule, a brief period of independence, and a devastating civil war that began in 1991. The collapse of the central government plunged the country into years of anarchy and clan-based violence, while also enabling…
Investment and Investor Protection in Somalia
Introduction With Somalia’s accession to the East African Community (EAC), the internal market of this community is also becoming increasingly attractive for foreign investments. A common market with over 300 million populations is developing, and there is not only a common internal market. It also has an excellent strategic location from the Indian Ocean to…
The East African Community: Past Experiences and Lessons for the Future
Introduction The East Africa Community (EAC) is one of the oldest regional economic blocs in the world.[1] Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, as members of EAC, had a customs union as early as 1927.[2] While this regional bloc collapsed in 1977, it was re-established in 2000 and grew from three to eight countries, including Uganda, Kenya,…

A Digital Pathway to Integration Beyond Legal Frameworks to Digital Reality
Introduction The region’s track towards integration has been long: legal frameworks have been established, the Customs Union has been formed,[1] the Common Market Protocol has been put in place,[2] and the Monetary Union is the ultimate goal pursued for more than 20 years[3]. But the gap between policy and practice is wide: intra-EAC trade has…
The Message Communicated to African Regionalisation Following the Creation of the Alliance of Sahel States-AES
Introduction The Alliance of Sahel States, also known in French as the ‘Alliance des Etats du Sahel’ (AES), is a confederation formed by Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.[1] The AES was established in September 2023, following the adoption of the Charter of Liptako-Gourma, which establishes the Alliance of Sahel States.[2] The AES Charter was signed…
How African countries are managing the potentially catastrophic risks of just transition through the investment regime
Introduction Foreign investment has long been an important policy tool for countries seeking to transform their economies. The international investment regime—comprising treaties and institutions—has supported this objective by creating policies to attract and protect investment. For developing countries, foreign investment plays a particularly crucial role in alleviating poverty, generating employment opportunities, and fostering economic…