Symposium on China-Africa International Arbitration Cooperation Held at Xiangtan University

Written by: Huang Jiacheng, Zhu Zirong

Photosby:Xiang Runyuan, Zhou Yuanxiang

Edited by: Xiang Runyuan

Translated by: Li Tingting, Xiao Liang

Source:LawSchool, News Center

On the morning of June 14, the Symposium on China-Africa International Arbitration Cooperation was held at Xiangtan University. Arbitration experts and scholars from multiple African countries, representatives of Chinese institutions, and university scholars gathered together to discuss issues such as arbitration mechanism construction, talent training, and practical cooperation, exploring a legal path for the high-quality development of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

Gaston Kenfack Douajni, President of The Association for the promotion of Abitrage in African, Shola Oshodi, Chief Executive Officer of the NigerianInstitute of Chartered Arbitrators, and nearly 20 other guests from South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and other African countries attended the symposium. Also present were Wang Chengjie, Deputy Director of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, Fu Danzhou, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hunan Sub-council, Liao Yong’an, President of Xiangtan University, and Liu Jingang, Vice President of Xiangtan University. The meeting was presided over by Liu Jingang.

Liao Yong’an stated thatXiangtanUniversity’s law discipline has long been engaged in African legal research for more than 40 years. Platforms including the African Legal Training Base and the Arbitration Center established by the University have been incorporated into the official action plan of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. He proposed promoting the integration of China-Africa arbitration rules and talent training through initiativesthroughmultilingual arbitration systemsand cross-border legal service workstations.

Wang Chengjie pointed out that arbitration serves as an important institutional tool for international governance. The China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission has conducted three research visits to Africa in recent years and hosted events such as the China-Africa Arbitration Day. The China-Africa Court Hearing Center, inaugurated in 2025, is actively engaging with institutions including the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), striving to foster a fair international trade order.

Gaston Kenfack Douajni elaborated on the arbitration system of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). The uniform arbitration rules applied across its 17 member states offer a reference for resolving China-Africa commercial disputes. He proposed strengthening the development of a multilingual arbitration system and deepening rule alignment with CIETAC and Xiangtan University.

All participants listened to presentations on the development of the Law School and African law research. They held in-depth discussions on advancing the institutionalization of arbitration cooperation and reached consensus on rule innovation, joint talent cultivation and platform co-construction. All attendees agreed that the symposium has built a bridge connecting academic circles, practical communities and institutional bodies for China-Africa arbitration cooperation. Moving forward, all parties will promote innovation in dispute settlement mechanisms and provide solid rule-of-law safeguards for consolidating the modern China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership.