The COMESA Court of Justice in collaboration with the COMESA Secretariat are hosting the Twenty-Eighth Meeting of the Legal Drafting Subcommittee at the Lusaka Legacy Resort and Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia from 14 to 23 July 2025. The Meeting will review the COMESA Court of Justice Rules of Procedure, 2016. The Meeting is attended by delegates from Djibouti, Egypt, Kenya, Malawi and Mauritius, as well as staff from the COMESA Court of Justice and the COMESA Secretariat.

The Meeting was opened by the Director Legal and Corporate Affairs of COMESA, Mr. Gabriel Masuku, who made opening remarks on behalf of the Secretary General, Ms. Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe. He reminded the Meeting of the decision made by the Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General, that all legal documents should be considered by the Subcommittee before going to the Committee on Legal Affairs and other higher Policy Organs. Therefore, highlighting the important role that the Subcommittee play in the development of COMESA legal instruments.

Further remarks were made by the Honourable Registrar, Nyambura Mbatia, who informed the Meeting that the necessity to revise the Rules arose as the current Rules have presented procedural hurdles which needed to be cured. In the review process, lawyers who had interacted with the Rules were requested for their inputs before the Draft Rules of Procedure were reviewed by the Judges of the COMESA Court of Justice.

The revision therefore seeks to ensure that the Rules are aligned with current judicial best practices, modern legislative drafting standards and the emerging needs of the Court. They also incorporate practical directions on the use of technological for case and evidence management.

The Honourable Assistant Registrar, Mr Asiimwe Anthony stated that a noticeable change to the Rules was the introduction of Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms which reinforced the Court’s mandate of dispensing justice through speedy processes and enhancing party autonomy.

The Subcommittee elected a bureau led by Mr Isaac Chiundira from Malawi, as Chairperson, Mrs Lilian Matagaro from Kenya as Vice Chairperson and Ms Annabelle Ombrasine from Mauritius as the Rapporteur. Following the Meeting of the Subcommittee, the revised Rules will be submitted to the Committee on Legal Affairs for consideration before submission to the COMESA Ministers of Justice and Attorneys-General.