Dakar Conference on International Law

Dakar, April 15-17, 2026 - The Senegalese capital hosted a high-level international conference focused on the universalization of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), held in conjunction with discussions linked to the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

The meeting took place under the high patronage of the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, and brought together representatives from 17 African states, including Mali, Morocco, Rwanda, Egypt, Mauritius, Cameroon, and the Comoros.

Regional and international organizations also took part in the proceedings, notably the African Union, ECOWAS, and OHADA, underscoring the continental dimension of the discussions on international legal cooperation.

Three Ministers of Justice from Senegal, Madagascar, and the Comoros participated directly in the sessions, alongside senior officials from international institutions, including the Secretary General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and representatives of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, based in the Netherlands.

Mali was represented by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, Dr. Boubacar Sidiki Diarrah, who took part in the deliberations on behalf of the Minister of Justice.

His participation reflects Mali’s commitment to strengthening its engagement in international legal cooperation frameworks and expanding its role in global dispute resolution mechanisms.

The conference highlighted growing African interest in reinforcing legal certainty, improving access to arbitration mechanisms, and deepening cooperation between African states and international legal institutions.