Monday marked the beginning of JAW 2026, currently underway at the Sandton Convention Centre. The first session, moderated by MHA’s head of Dispute Resolution Leslie Mkhabela, brought together former African presidents who shared their perspectives on leadership and the critical role of dispute resolution in driving continental growth.
The session titled “Statesmen in Dialogue: Leadership and Dispute Resolution in Africa,” highlighted leadership beyond institutions, grounded in lived experience.
Advocate Michael Kuper SC, the chair of Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) introduced the panel. In conversation were HE Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former president of Liberia; HE Joaquim Chissano, the former president of Mozambique; HE Jonathan Goodluck, former president of Nigeria; and the former president of Kenya, HE Uhuru Kenyatta.
Emphasis was placed on building strong institutional frameworks, fostering dialogue to support leadership, leveraging mediation to address conflict and corruption, and ensuring inclusive approaches to governance and resource management.The session concluded with the signing of a Partnership Agreement, which aims to establish a constructive framework for dispute resolution in the near future, signalling strengthened collaboration and shared commitment to advancing arbitration and mediation across the continent.
