The AfAA aims to promote, encourage, facilitate and advance the use of international arbitration within the African continent.

The objectives of the AfAA are:

(a)   to act as the platform for African international arbitration practitioners and African arbitration institutions within the African continent to enhance the capacity of African parties, institutions and practitioners;

(b)    to act as a reference point for information concerning activities in international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution within the African continent;

(c)    to increase coordination amongst its members in respect of Africa-related international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution activities;

(d)    to provide greater access to information about international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution in Africa;

(e)    to promote African international arbitration practitioners and African arbitration institutions within and outside the African continent;

(f)     to facilitate and encourage the appointment of African international arbitration practitioners and the use of African arbitration institutions;

(g)   to advance the use of international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution as effective methods of dispute resolution of Africa-related transactions and disputes;

(h)   to support the provision of technical assistance, awareness-raising and capacity-building activities to African governments in order to assist them in their task of strengthening the legislative and judicial frameworks in the field of arbitration and other means of dispute resolution; and

(i)    to enhance awareness of existing capacity-building initiatives, to increase coordination in delivering technical assistance and capacity-building activities, and to enhance cooperation among international and regional organisations, arbitral institutions, academic institutions and professional associations throughout the African continent.

To that end, the AfAA shall:

(a)     establish and maintain a membership directory of AfAA members;

(b)     offer membership for individuals and institutions;

(c)     provide information on its members’ activities in international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution;

(d)     publish and maintain an events calendar of international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution activities pertinent to Africa;

(e)   provide an open-source on-line resource containing African States’ key legislative and judicial instruments pertaining to arbitration and alternative dispute resolution;

(f)     organise and run conferences and other similar knowledge-sharing events on international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution across the African continent either directly or in association with other international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution institutions;

(g)   publish scholarly and non-scholarly publications and journals on various aspects of the practice of international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution pertinent to the African continent; and

(h)    develop and publish Africa-related international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution standards and guidelines consistent with best practices.

The Constitution of the AfAA can be accessed here.