KIGALI-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda has emphasized the need for Africa to have reformed arbitration in a bid to evolve justice architecture in the continent.
AG Nyirenda made an appeal at the prestigious ICCA-KIAC Commercial Arbitration Conference held on Friday, June 6, 2025 at the Kigali Convention Centre where he delivered a powerful and visionary address, positioning Malawi and the continent at the forefront of a new era in international arbitration.
Speaking before an audience of legal professionals, judicial leaders, and policy experts from across Africa and beyond, Chakaka-Nyirenda described the conference as more than a legal gathering—it is, he said, “a convergence of visionaries and custodians of Africa’s evolving justice architecture.”
Highlighting the pressing need for African-led arbitration, Malawi AG noted that the continent loses over US$ 5 billion annually to foreign jurisdictions in arbitration costs—resources that could instead be reinvested in building homegrown legal and institutional capacity.
“In Malawi, we are not just talking about change—we are acting,” he declared, referencing Malawi’s ratification of the New York Convention in 2021 and the passage of the International Arbitration Act in 2023, which aligned the country’s legal system with international standards through the UNCITRAL Model Law.
According to Nyirenda notable milestones have paved the way for the establishment of the Malawi International Arbitration Centre (MIAC)—a bold move to position Malawi as a credible, African-based arbitration hub.
The AG however stressed the urgency of harmonising arbitration laws across the continent. He urged fellow African countries—particularly within the Southern African Development Community (SADC)—to align with the UNCITRAL Model Law, warning that outdated legislation continues to stifle growth, delay justice, and deter investors.
“Justice delayed is not just justice denied—it is development denied,” he said, emphasizing how unresolved disputes in construction, procurement, and public infrastructure can have direct and harmful impacts on citizens.
In a strong call to action, Chakaka-Nyirenda urged governments, legal practitioners, and development actors to view arbitration not merely as a legal tool, but as a strategic lever for economic transformation and investor confidence.
He therefore highlighted the importance of building an independent and competent judiciary, capable of supporting and enforcing arbitral decisions with consistency and credibility.
The Malawi AG also commended the role of institutions such as the Africa Arbitration Academy for driving capacity building and continental collaboration.
Chakaka-Nyirenda however challenged the audience to seize the moment, “Let this Conference become a springboard from which Africa’s arbitration future is launched.
‘Let us leave here with renewed purpose, stronger networks, and a deeper understanding that we are not only participants in arbitration’s evolution—we are architects of its future in Africa.”
The ICCA-KIAC Conference, hosted in Kigali—a rising star in Africa’s legal and arbitration landscape—continues to solidify the continent’s ambitions to localise and lead in dispute resolution innovation.
Malawi’s strong showing today signaled its unwavering commitment to that vision.
