Experts from 17 countries that make up the Organisation of the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) have started meeting in Yaounde to propose recommendations for adoption by the organisation’s 36th ministerial conference to hold from July 24 to 26, 2014 in Yaounde.

The meeting of the Committee of Experts started yesterday July 21, 2014 under the chair of a representative of the Minister of Justice, Jean Pierre Fogui, who doubles as the President of the Council of Ministers of OHADA. He was accompanied by a representative of the Minister of Finance, Pierre Titi.

The stakes are high, thus the Minister Delegate urged experts to carefully examine the draft revision of the personnel statutes of OHADA, while looking at the regulatory instrument spelling out the modalities for the selection of lawyers into the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration.

Experts also have the challenge of looking at how best to equip judges at the said court while wooing membership from more countries of English expression. He explained that there is need to reflect on the annual programme for the harmonisation of Business Laws, so as to propose to the Council of Ministers what should be added for a harmonious implementation of OHADA laws by member States.

OHADA recently celebrated 20 years of existence and to Jean Pierre Fogui, Experts will therefore need to mirror on how they can jointly surmount challenges that stare the organisation in the face. Challenges that the focal point of the meeting of experts, Gaston Kenfack Douajni say stem from the need to become more competitive.

And for this to become effective, there is need to adopt regulations for personnel who are results-oriented. For the “present regulations on the statutes of personnel are not favourable,” stressed the Chairman of the National Commission of OHADA in Cameroon, George Gwanmesia, who is also the Secretary-General in the Ministry of Justice.

Business law environment has improved since the creation of OHADA with positive impact in the economies of member States. OHADA’s Permanent Secretary, Dorothé Cossi Sossa saluted the commitment of the Head of State, Paul Biya in ensuring that OHADA see better days.

OHADA member States comprise Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Chad and Togo.

It includes at the institutional level, a Conference of Heads of State and Government, a Common Court of Justice and Arbitration, a High Regional School of Magistracy, a Council of Ministers and the Permanent Secretariat.

OHADA’s Permanent Secretariat is based in Cameroon.