By Francis Xola, International Correspondent – Doha, Abu Dhabi — Global Arbitration Times
In a ceremony rich with symbolism and purpose, the Center for International Mediators and Arbitrators (CIMA), convened its first annual investiture and graduation ceremony for Africa at the British Council in Accra this past weekend. The event marked a significant moment in Africa’s growing influence in the field of international mediation and arbitration.
Held in partnership with the Oxfordshire–Africa Forum on International Arbitration, the event drew new members from across the continent—including Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, and Liberia—reflecting CIMA’s widening reach. A total of forty-six (46) professionals were formally inducted: twelve as Fellows, eight as full members, and twenty-six as associate members.
The distinguished gathering included His Lordship Justice Eric Kyei Baffour of Ghana’s Court of Appeal, who delivered the keynote address, alongside dignitaries such as Dr. Michael Owusu, Deputy CEO of KGL, Ziad Hamoui, President of Tarzan, and Georgette Francois, Chairperson of the Ghana Association of Certified Mediators and Arbitrators.
Joining virtually from Palermo, Italy, CIMA President Francesco Campagna (FCIMArb) offered warm congratulations and welcomed the inductees into what he called “a truly global professional community.”
Justice Kyei Baffour, known for his internationalist outlook, used the occasion to spotlight Africa’s untapped talent and the urgency for specialists in the evolving landscape of global dispute resolution; “The world is in urgent need of professionals who are intelligent, principled, and capable of addressing developmental, cultural, and social challenges through fairness and reasoned dialogue,” he declared. “CIMA Fellows are on the frontlines of that mission.” He called on the new graduates to embody humility, pursue lifelong learning, and act as global ambassadors of equity and reason.
Adding to the charge, Dr. Osei Bonsu Dickson, FCIMArb and Vice-President of CIMA, encouraged greater Ghanaian participation in upcoming ADR-focused academic programs, including CIMA’s Summer School in August and Winter Academy in December.
In an address on behalf of the graduating class, H.R.H. Ambassador Abdul-Salam Yussif II emphasized that their journey was more than ceremonial. “We have not merely received certificates; we have accepted a noble calling—to resolve disputes with dignity and contribute meaningfully to the evolving field of ADR,” he said.
The ceremony drew a cross-section of Ghanaian society—bar leaders, royal figures, Muslim clerics, legal professionals, and families—all witnessing a moment that many believe signals Africa’s increasing leadership in the global dispute resolution arena. As the world turns to fair, swift, and culturally informed mechanisms of justice, CIMA’s graduates may yet become its next generation of global peacemakers.