The Accra International Arbitration and Mediation Rules will be formally launched on Saturday, 17 January 2026, at the British Council, Accra, marking a defining moment in Africa’s arbitration and dispute-resolution trajectory.

The launch, convened by the Center for International Mediators and Arbitrators (CIMA), positions Accra decisively on the global arbitration map. The Rules are designed to reflect international best practice while responding deliberately to African commercial realities, regulatory environments, and cross-border dispute dynamics.

Developed through rigorous comparative analysis and practitioner insight, the Accra Arbitration Rules introduce a modern, efficient, and flexible framework for both international and domestic disputes. They emphasise procedural efficiency, party autonomy, enforceability, and the integration of mediation alongside arbitration—responding to the evolving needs of businesses, states, investors, and institutions operating across Africa and beyond.

The unveiling will take place as part of CIMA Graduation and Investiture Week 2026, drawing together judges, senior practitioners, arbitrators, mediators, policymakers, diplomats, academics, and emerging dispute-resolution professionals from multiple jurisdictions. The choice of the British Council as venue underscores the Rules’ global orientation and commitment to excellence.

The launch of the Accra Arbitration Rules is widely expected to influence arbitral practice in Ghana and across Africa, offering parties a credible, Africa-anchored alternative within the international arbitration ecosystem.

With this milestone, Accra asserts itself not merely as a venue for arbitration, but as a source of rule-making thought leadership in global dispute resolution.