Accra will take center stage in the global arbitration community this January as the Center for International Mediators and Arbitrators (CIMA) hosts its 2026 Graduation and Investiture Week—an event marked by three significant developments in international dispute resolution. The details of the event are as follows:

⁠Date: Saturday, 17 January 2026

Venues: British Council, Accra (Investiture & Launches) | Kempinski Hotel, Accra (Graduation Banquet)

1. Expansion of CIMA’s Programs Across Africa and Asia

CIMA is a global transcontinental training and professional platform in arbitration and mediation, with participants, faculty, and institutional partners spanning Africa, Asia, and Europe. Its initiatives include:

Sponsorship of moot competitions in the Asia-Pacific region

The Africa Mock Arbitration Series

Ghana’s first International Commercial Arbitration Student Round at GIMPA Law School

Structured training pathways for Associates, Members, and Fellows across multiple jurisdictions

Partnership with members in over 33 countries worldwide

The programmes emphasise practical competence in advocacy, procedure, ethics, and award writing, helping to build professional capacity in regions traditionally underrepresented in global arbitration.

STAR OF THE MONTH - Professor Philip Ebow Bondzi-Simpson ESQ.

2. Launch of the Accra Arbitration Rules

A key highlight of the week will be the formal unveiling of the Accra Arbitration Rules, a modern institutional framework designed to align with international best practice while responding to African commercial realities.

The Accra Arbitration Rules incorporate:

Enhanced case management powers

Expedited procedures

Emergency arbitrator provisions

Integration of mediation alongside arbitration

Strong emphasis on efficiency, enforceability, and party autonomy

Legal observers view the Rules as a meaningful African contribution to global arbitration jurisprudence.

3. Book Launch: Dickson on International Commercial Arbitration

The week will also feature the launch of a major new work:

Dickson on International Commercial Arbitration, authored by Dr Osei Bonsu Dickson.

The book provides a rigorous, practice-oriented treatment of arbitration law and procedure, addressing both doctrinal foundations and contemporary challenges such as technology-driven disputes, digital evidence, and comparative institutional practice. It is expected to become a key reference text for practitioners, students, and institutions across emerging arbitration markets.