Africa is on the agenda as London International Disputes Week begins

Leading figures from across the global dispute resolution community have gathered for London International Disputes Week (LIDW25). Across 2-6 June delegates will connect, learn, and socialise across a huge variety of sessions and events, exploring key issues and topics, and helping drive awareness and best practice globally.

The centrepiece LIDW25 Main Conference begins tomorrow, Tuesday 3 June, with an opening address from Sarah Sackman KC MP, an environmental and public law barrister who is now the UK’s Minister of State for Courts and Legal Services.

Following Sackman’s opening address, the first panel discussion will explore “The geopolitical and economic landscape and its impact on disputes”, bringing together renowned experts including former Attorney General of Nigeria Christopher Adebayo Ojo, alongside Campbell Jackson, Cherie Blair, and Dr Nigel Gould-Davies.

It is fitting Ojo is part of the opening panel, given Africa’s growing significance to the global community. He is one of many African speakers appearing across the week. And for those whose practice is based in or connected to Africa, or are passionate or curious about the continent, alongside general sessions exploring relevant topics, there are many Africa-specific sessions across the entire LIDW25 week.

A great example is “Comment faire comity? Perceptions and realities in arbitration in Africa”, with an exceptional lineup of speakers, held at the Wolfson Lecture Theatre at the University of London’s flagship Senate House venue at 4pm on Thursday.. 

“It isn't a panel just about the legal concept of 'comity' … it [seeks] to explore some of the challenges that African 'users' of arbitration face when their disputes depend upon the interventions of non-African players,” says Daniel Wilmot, an International Arbitration partner at co-hosts Stewarts. “It's about the perception vs reality gap, and how courtesy and deference play roles in establishing arbitral legitimacy.”

Together with Dr Jamsheed Peeroo of session co-hosts 36 Stone, who’s been part of a Working Group drafting international arbitration law in Mauritius, Wilmot has gathered a diverse range of perspectives from North, South, West, and East Africa for a session that is also available for LIDW25 registrants to attend virtually. 

Panelists include ICC Kenya director Jacqueline Waihenya, African Bar Association ADR Committee Chair Julius Nkafu, Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa Secretary-General Svetlana Vasileva-Stratenwerth, ICC YAAF Representative for Africa Joseph Siyaidon, and Paris-based arbitrator and MENA expert Amel Makhlouf.

Professor Emilia Onyema of the University’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) will close that event with a keynote speech, before drinks and nibbles.

Africa is on the agenda throughout LIDW25, starting even before the Main Conference with International Arbitration Day, which utilises a hub format across three host law firms for sessions covering various jurisdictions, sectors, and issues.

Following a keynote address from The Honourable Mrs Justice Cockerill, DBE, Professor Makane Moise Mbengue, the President of African Society of International Law, will be part of an opening panel hosted by Squire Patton Boggs LLP, discussing “Challenging sovereignty: arbitrations against States and State-owned entities”.

At the pre-lunch session at Simmons & Simmons, Professor Onyema will chair a discussion on “An ideal seat? Perspectives from established and emerging seats”.

Africa will share focus in the final session of International Arbitration Day at Squire Patton Boggs (SPB), which explores a “Tale of two Continents: cross-jurisdictional perspectives on mining arbitrations from Latin America and Africa”. Ghanian lawyer Juliet O. Manteaw-Kutin, the General Counsel of Asante Gold, will be joined by Luiz Aboim of Mayer Brown, Patrick Edmond of JS Held, and litigation and arbitration funding broker Hugo Marshall in a session moderated by Sagar Gupta of SPB.

Following Tuesday’s Main Conference, LIDW25 switches to a lively programme of member-hosted events covering a wide range of topics and themes across Wednesday to Friday. Along with universal topics including enforcement of judgements, the impact of AI, insurance or banking disputes, hot topics in asset recovery, and arbitration in emerging industries, there are more than a dozen fascinating sessions relating specifically to African industries and disputes.

On Wednesday, these include “Sustainability and Investment in Africa: Managing the Risk of ESG Disputes”, hosted by FTI Consulting and DLA Piper; “The competition for critical resources: recent developments in the mining sector in Africa” held at Quadrant Chambers; “Africa Rising: Navigating Growth and Conflict Resolution” held at JS Held; and “The 3 As: Africa, Arbitration and AI” at the Inner Temple.

Leading Nigerian lawyer Seye Opasanya, SAN of Olaniwun Ajayi will be part of a fireside chat at the Sun Street Hotel on Wednesday discussing “Navigating the legal and economic complexities of African projects” with Paul Cliff of Grant Thornton, Nadya Berova of Barrick Gold, and Poupak Anjomshoaa and Solomon Ebere of DWF.

At the Scalpel, Morrison Foerster and Control Risks will host an expert panel including Amala Umeike, founding partner of Nigerian firm Stren + Blan, and Luisa Cetina, a New York litigator turned director at ALN Kenya, to discuss “Avoiding and managing contract disputes in Africa”. Joining Umeike and Cetina will be Busani Moyo-Majwabu and Eric Humphrey-Smith of Control Risks, and Chiraag Shah of Morrison Foerster, for an exploration of proactive and reactive strategies, legal responses to challenge, best practices, and trends in the DRC, Kenya, and Nigeria. 

On Thursday, along with the “Comment faire comity? Perceptions and realities in arbitration in Africa” session at SOAS, Cetina and Ngo-Martins Okonmah, a partner at ALN Nigeria | Aluko & Oyebode, will provide an African perspective for a session at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP on “The future of Africa/UK Disputes – innovating for success in cross-border dispute resolution”. 

DLA Piper Africa, Senegal (Geni & Kebe) Managing Partner Mouhamed Kebe joins Professor Onyema and others to discuss “Energy Disputes in West Africa: what does the future hold?” at FTI Consulting. Later in the day, “Harmonising Perspectives: Exit Strategies in African Mining and Energy” will be held at Pinsent Masons, co-hosted with global risk consultancy Control Risks, with panelists including Control Risks Associate Director Oludamilare Adesola, a regional department head for West Africa. 

For the full London International Disputes Week 2025 programme, see here

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