Rwanda is set to host a continental conference bringing together legal experts, judges, scholars and policymakers from Africa and beyond to examine whether and how former colonial powers should provide reparations for injustices committed during colonial rule.

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With support from the Ministry of Justice, the African Society of International Law (AfSIL)’s 15th Annual Conference will take place from November 5to 7 in Kigali.

It will examine the principles governing reparations under international law, remedies available through international courts, and whether existing legal frameworks adequately address Africa’s historical experiences and claims.

According to AfSIL, historical injustices linked to colonialism, slavery and armed conflict continue to raise difficult legal and political questions, particularly regarding responsibility, victims’ rights and the forms reparations should take.

"Who bears responsibility for these wrongs? What does justice require beyond the acknowledgement that a wrong was committed? Who is entitled to reparation, what form should it take, and how can international law provide meaningful remedies for harm whose consequences may extend across generations?” reads a statement from AfSIL.

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The organisers said Rwanda provides a fitting setting for the discussions, given its own experience with questions of justice, accountability and recovery following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

"Rwanda's own history, particularly the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, has placed questions of justice, accountability, reconciliation and recovery at the heart of its national experience,” the statement reads.

Another focus of the meeting will be Africa’s role in shaping international law, particularly given the continent’s long engagement with international legal institutions and continuing disputes over responsibility and reparations for historical injustices.

The conference will also provide opportunities for young African lawyers and students to engage with international legal practice. On November 5, ahead of the main meeting, the Kigali International Arbitration Centre (KIAC) will host a Young ICSID Masterclass on Reparation in Investment Arbitration.

The session will explore the legal principles and practical challenges involved in determining remedies in international investment disputes.