GIMPA Law Dean courts PCA partnership in the Hague

The dean of the GIMPA Law School, Dr Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, has undertaken a high-level visit to The Hague as part of Ghana’s delegation to the 24th Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

As part of the mission, Dr Agyeman-Budu joined senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice to pay a courtesy call on Marcin Czepelak, Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), at the Peace Palace.

Focus on Hague Conventions

Talks centred on accelerating Ghana’s accession to the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes and on the potential benefits for the country’s legal and dispute-resolution systems.

Dr Agyeman-Budu used the engagement to underline GIMPA Law School’s international outlook and formally invited the PCA Secretary-General to visit Ghana. The proposed visit would build on the Law School’s established practice of hosting senior figures from the ICC and other international tribunals, who deliver public lectures, engage with faculty and students, and interact with all three branches of Ghana’s government.

GIMPA Law School is seeking to leverage this momentum to explore a structured partnership with the PCA, modelled on the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ), which is based at GIMPA Law School, and the ICC.

Prospective partnership

According to the Law School, collaboration with the PCA would expand opportunities for academic exchange, joint research and capacity-building. It would also complement GIMPA’s Master of Laws (LLM) in Dispute Resolution Law and Practice, designed to give students practical exposure to international arbitration and mediation processes.

A visit to Ghana by the PCA Secretary-General at GIMPA’s invitation would represent the first official trip by a member of the PCA leadership to the country and is seen as further positioning Ghana as an emerging hub for international law in Africa.

Dr Agyeman-Budu said: “This visit will underscore GIMPA Law School’s mission to be a centre of excellence where theory meets practice. Partnering with the PCA will not only enrich our curriculum but also empower Ghanaian legal professionals to engage confidently in global dispute resolution.”

The engagement in The Hague was facilitated by Ms Christine Amankwa, a distinguished alumna of GIMPA Law School and currently an Assistant Legal Counsel at the PCA.

Ghana’s planned accession to the 1899 and 1907 Hague Conventions on the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes is expected to deepen its participation in peaceful dispute-resolution mechanisms and create additional avenues for foreign investment and development cooperation.

About GIMPA Law School

GIMPA Law School is regarded as a pioneer in legal education in West Africa. It combines rigorous academic training with applied learning through institutions such as the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) and the African Centre on Law and Ethics (ACLE), as well as a growing portfolio of international partnerships.

The school trains future lawyers, judges, policymakers and advocates to operate effectively within both domestic and international legal environments.