East African Judicial Education Committee to meet in Arusha


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The East African Judicial Education Committee is scheduled to meet from 18-20 February 2010 at the Kibo Palace Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania to, among others, receive inception report on the study for harmonisation of legal training certification and practice framework and curriculum within the East African Community.

The Chairperson of the East African Judicial Education Committee and Judge of the Supreme Court of Uganda, Hon. Justice J.W.N Tsekooko; the President of the East African Court of Justice, Hon. Mr. Justice Harold Reginald Nsekela; the EAC Deputy Secretary General (Productive and Social Sectors), Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva; Chairpersons of National Judicial Training Committees; Registrars and Magistrates; government officials from the Partner States; representatives of the International Law Institute (Kampala); and representatives of Law schools and institutes within the region are expected to attend the meeting.

The EAC Secretariat engaged the Kampala-based International Law Institute African Centre for Legal Excellence (ILI) to carry out the study and draft an EAC Advocates Bill, EAC standards to be attained in the examinations and practical training in order to qualify and be licensed to practice as an advocate within the EAC Partner States, criteria for and roadmap towards cross border legal practice in East Africa and EAC model syllabus for university Law programmes and post university Law institutes.

At the Arusha meeting, Partner States are also expected to submit an up-to-date implementation status of the national training programmes and to determine and plan for the regional training programmes for the period July 2010 and June 2011. Partner States are also expected to give an update on the steps taken to recruit research assistants for judges and allowing entrants into the profession to serve on a part-time basis in the process of legal training.

The meeting is expected to make recommendations/decisions on the study for onward submission to the Sectoral Council on Legal and Judicial Affairs for further guidance.

The East African Court of Justice is a full member of the East African Judicial Education Committee and is represented by the Judge President and Court Registrar.

The EAC Deputy Secretary General (Productive and Social Sectors), Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva says with the coming into force of the EAC Common Market Protocol in July 2010, which will usher in free movement of persons, goods, services, and labour within the Community the presentation of the inception report by the ILI was very timely.

He adds that it will enhance cross border legal practice and set standards in the profession as EAC embarks on the operationalization of the Common Market Protocol. He says delegates from the Republic of Burundi will be attending the Meeting of the Committee for the first time and their participation will definitely enrich the capacity of the Committee to achieve its goals and objectives.

Source: East African Community (EAC)

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