The University of Johannesburg‘s (UJ’s) Prof Eesa Fredericks will continue representing Africa at the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, UNIDROIT, for the period 2024-2028.
He was reappointed to serve on the UNIDROIT Governing Council at the organisation’s 82nd Annual General Meeting, on 14 December 2023, in Rome and remains the only elected African representative.
Says Prof Fredericks: “In Africa in particular, laws governing imports, exports, contracts and international transactions tend to vary significantly from one country to the next.”
“This complicates trade between African countries, intent on doing business with one another. The complexities are a major stumbling block for companies outside the continent wanting to trade with African companies, as the challenges could appear to be insurmountable. When businesses and investors don’t have to deal with that much legal complexity, it is easier to grow business volumes and attract new investors.”
“Having said this, Africa stands to learn much from UNIDROIT as it focuses on harmonising laws, creating model laws, facilitating cross-border transactions, creating legal certainty, fostering collaboration, adapting to local contexts, and engaging in capacity building. The Institute also supports cross-border cooperation between governments, policymakers, and companies. As such, businesses will benefit from a more consistent and predictable legal framework for trade inside and with the continent.”
Prof Fredericks is the Deputy Director of the UJ Research Centre for Private International Law in Emerging Countries. His research focuses on private international law, contract law and international trade law. He serves as the Head of Department for Mercantile Law.
