The United Republic of Tanzania is all set to welcome ministers and attorneys-general to the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting, which will open in Zanzibar on 4 March 2024.

Held every two years, the meeting of law ministers is a leading platform for collaboration among the 56 Commonwealth countries, which share a common legal tradition. 

The theme of this year’s meeting is ‘Technology and Innovation: How digitalisation paves the way for the development of people-centred access to justice.’

Under this theme, law ministers will examine ethical ways to use technology to make legal services and information more accessible to people, while exploring responses to threats, such as cybercrime.

Hon Ambassador Dr Pindi H. Chana, the United Republic of Tanzania’s Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Chair of the 2024 Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting, announced the meeting’s details at a press conference in Zanzibar on 26 February 2024.

Addressing journalists, she said:

“We expect to get a lot of benefits following this meeting as the topics that will be discussed will help to find the right ways to strengthen and enforce the law and access to human rights.

“Other benefits are promoting our country in the international space through various tourist attractions and convincing investors. In addition, this meeting will be an opportunity for small entrepreneurs to do their business in the meeting area and increase foreign currency income.”

In her message, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, commended the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for making exceptional arrangements for the meeting.

Secretary-General Scotland drew attention to the pressing need to close the access to justice gap, which currently affects two-thirds of the world’s population. 

She highlighted the detrimental consequences of the lack of people’s access to justice on development, inclusive growth, and conflict prevention.  

The Secretary-General continued: “At a time when increasing conflicts are undermining respect for international law, ensuring equal access to justice remains a fundamental precondition for building peace and security for all.”

She said: 

“Our priority is to help all our member states deliver equal access to justice for all. That requires legal systems which can meet the needs of all.

“The upcoming Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting offers us a vital platform to discuss the growing threats to the rule of law and find innovative ways to deliver the changes which will guarantee justice for every one of the 2.5 billion people living in our Commonwealth.” 

The meeting’s four-day agenda will cover a range of topical legal issues, including digital assets, electronic resources for efficient legal systems, access to justice for people with disabilities and developments in climate legislation.

The outcomes from the meeting will shape the agenda for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa later this year. 

The meeting will be held at the Mora Hotel in Zanzibar from 4 to 8 March 2024

Ibadan, 27 February 2024. – The Rwanda Space Agency (RSA) and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance partnership opportunities, marking a significant milestone in bilateral collaboration between Rwanda and Poland in space technology. Both Countries share robust bilateral ties, demonstrated by a state visit by Polish President Andrzej Duda this month to Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city.

The MoU aims to leverage the robust Polish space ecosystem to develop collaboration on activities of mutual interest and solidifies the commitment of both nations to harness space capabilities in support of their development agendas. Furthermore, it fosters interagency cooperation between industries and academia to advance capabilities in space technologies, facilitating knowledge transfer and promoting tailored research and development initiatives.

Speaking on the partnership agreement, Col. Francis Ngabo, head of the Rwanda Space Agency, emphasized, “Rwanda is dedicated to leveraging space technology capabilities to support the sustainable development of priority sectors within Rwanda. This collaboration with the Polish Space Ecosystem through POLSA opens up unique avenues for joint initiatives and knowledge exchange to boost the growth of our emerging space sector.”

Likewise, Prof. Grzegorz Wrochna, President of POLSA, echoed this sentiment, stating, “This partnership between Rwanda and Poland underscores the urgency of addressing pressing challenges through collaborative and innovative approaches.” The President also added, “By synergizing our efforts, we aim to make significant strides in the application of space technologies and contribute to the well-being of our populations.”

RSA’s mission is to develop Rwanda’s space sector towards social-economic development. As a result, the Space Agency actively formulates and implements comprehensive space policies and strategies with the overarching goal of fostering an environment conducive to maximizing the potential of space capabilities to achieve both national and global goals. Spacewatch Africa