The Dean of the Law School of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law School, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, recently concluded a landmark visit to The Hague as part of the Ghanaian delegation attending the 24th Annual Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Alongside senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, the Dean paid a courtesy call on Marcin Czepelak, Secretary‑General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), at the historic Peace Palace.
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The meeting focused on accelerating Ghana’s accession to the Hague Conventions for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes (1899 & 1907) and unlocking the attendant benefits for the nation’s legal and dispute‑resolution framework.
During the discussions, Dr. Agyeman-Budu highlighted GIMPA Law School’s commitment to internationalisation and invited the PCA Secretary‑General to visit Ghana.
The invitation aligns with the Law School’s track record of hosting high‑profile visitors from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other international tribunals, who deliver public lectures, interact with faculty and students, as well as engage with Ghana’s three branches of government, whilst in Ghana at the invitation of GIMPA.
GIMPA Law School, therefore, hopes to explore a potential partnership with the PCA that could mirror the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) (hosted by GIMPA Law School) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
A collaboration with PCA would broaden academic exchange, joint research, and capacity‑building initiatives, especially because of GIMPA’s innovative Master of Laws Degree (LLM) programme in Dispute Resolution Law and Practice, which will give students hands‑on exposure to international arbitration and mediation mechanisms.
The potential visit to Ghana by the Secretary‑General at the invitation of GIMPA would mark the first PCA leadership visit to Ghana, reinforcing the country’s role as a hub for international law in Africa.
Dr. Agyeman-Budu remarked that: “This visit will underscore GIMPA Law School’s mission to be a centre of excellence where theory meets practice.
Partnering with the PCA will not only enrich our curriculum but also empower Ghanaian legal professionals to engage confidently in global dispute resolution.”
The meeting was put together by Ms. Christine Amankwa, a distinguished alumna of the GIMPA Law School and now an Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
Ghana’s accession to the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes will enhance Ghana’s participation in peaceful dispute settlement mechanisms and open pathways for foreign investment and development cooperation.
