AFSA adds arbitration heavyweights Diawara, Abdallah, and Mkiva to International Court

The appointments of leading lawyers Aisha Abdallah, Clement Mkiva, and Diamana Diawara to the AFSA International Court reflects an ongoing commitment to “maintaining a diverse, highly skilled, and internationally respected Court that supports excellence” in arbitration and ADR across Africa and beyond, said the dispute resolution authority as it welcomed its new Court members last week. 

Alongside Professor Lise Bosman taking the baton as President of the AFSA International Court last December, these appointments reinforce “AFSA’s commitment to maintaining a world-class institution that reflects the growing importance of Africa in the global dispute resolution landscape”, and ongoing ambition to become a leading arbitral centre for African and international disputes.

Collectively, the three new Court members represent some of the most respected voices in African dispute resolution, with experience at leading law firms, international arbitral institutions, and global professional bodies.

Aisha is a partner at ALN, where she heads the regional Dispute Resolution department based out of Nairobi, and is widely recognised as one of East Africa's foremost arbitration practitioners.

Dual qualified in Kenya and England and Wales, Aisha has built a reputation advising on high-value, cross-border disputes and serving as an arbitrator in international proceedings. She was the first Kenyan appointed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport General Panel and this year joined the governing body of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), one of the world's leading arbitration organisations. She also chairs the International Arbitration Committee of the International Association for Defense Counsel (IADC).

Diamana brings a distinctly international perspective shaped by more than a decade at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), where she worked on more than 1,000 arbitration matters involving parties from Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. 

A partner at TALEX International and admitted to the Paris Bar, Diamana is particularly recognised for her work on disputes involving states and international investments across Africa. During her tenure as the ICC's Africa Director for Dispute Resolution Services, she played a prominent role in promoting ADR across the continent while advocating for greater participation by African practitioners in international arbitration.

She currently serves as co-president of Paris Arbitration Week. Her standing in the field has been recognised through repeated inclusion in international rankings, including Lexology's Global Elite Thought Leaders.

Clement, meanwhile, is among southern Africa's leading disputes practitioners. A partner at Bowmans, he is co-head of the pan-African firm’s Litigation Practice Group in South Africa. He has acted in some of the region's most significant commercial disputes, including landmark class actions, complex arbitration, and multi-jurisdictional litigation involving listed companies, investors, and state entities.

His practice spans sectors ranging from mining and construction to banking, telecommunications, and insolvency. Clement’s international credentials are underpinned by a Master's in International Dispute Settlement from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

Taken together, the appointments reflect both the depth of arbitration talent emerging from Africa and AFSA's continued efforts to build a court that combines regional insight with international credibility.