African policymakers, government officials, legal experts and civil society leaders will meet in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from June 1-2 to discuss the rule of law as a driver for sustainable development on the continent.
Africa is a continent with enormous wealth in culture, resources and opportunity. It is home to many of the world’s fastest growing economies and most dynamic demographic trends. By 2050, the continent is set to host over a quarter of the world’s working population. Yet, despite these and other promising indicators of development, Africa continues to face significant challenges: poverty, growing levels of inequality and heightened vulnerability to climate change. It has also witnessed some of the world’s most entrenched conflicts, humanitarian crises and refugee flows.
In May 2013, the African Union initiated their 50 year development action plan, Agenda 2063, which lays out the Pan-African vision in seven aspirations. Throughout the continent, as established in Agenda 2063, there is increasing recognition that the rule of law is an indispensable means to promote sustainable development.
In September 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 corresponding targets. The SDGs will orient the next 15 years of global investment in development priorities, following the Millennium Development Goals.
The rule of law provides the basis for sustainable development
This Conference, as part of IDLO’s larger Africa Initiative, is intended to provide a platform for African leaders, policymakers and experts to engage in strategy and policy discussions, exchange knowledge and experience, and strengthen partnerships within Africa and with the international community to further advance the rule of law in Africa as an integral element in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The meeting will include expert level discussions on:
1. Dispensing justice: building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions;
2. Constitution-building and legal reform: strong foundations for sustainable development;
3. Equality and empowerment through access to justice: a view on gender and health;
4. Investing in the rule of law for economic development; and
5. Building partnerships for the future.
As the only inter-governmental organization devoted exclusively to advancing the rule of law and development, IDLO is organizing this Conference as the first part of a larger Initiative to further advance sustainable development through concrete measures underpinned by the rule of law. IDLO expects this initiative to deepen its partnership with African governments, the legal community and civil society leaders and to open up possibilities for further collaborations.
The conference is organized in cooperation with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania with the support of the Government of Italy.
