Zanzibar -Tanzania will host the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting in Zanzibar from March 4 to 8. Attorneys-general and ministers from various Commonwealth countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, are set to converge on the picturesque island for the biennial gathering, a crucial platform for collaboration among the 56 Commonwealth nations that share a common legal tradition.
The theme of this year’s meeting is ‘Technology and Innovation: How digitalisation paves the way for the development of people-centred access to justice.’
The focus will be on exploring ethical applications of technology to enhance accessibility to legal services and information, with particular attention given to addressing challenges such as cybercrime.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, KC, commended the Government of Tanzania and emphasised the urgency of closing the access to justice gap, which currently affects two-thirds of the world’s population, stressing its adverse effects on development, inclusive growth, and conflict prevention.
“At a time when increasing conflicts are undermining respect for international law, ensuring equal access to justice remains a fundamental precondition for building peace and security for all,” Scotland said.
Tanzania’s Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Chair of the 2024 Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting Ambassador Dr Pindi H Chana announced the meeting’s details at a press conference in Zanzibar on Monday.
She said, “We expect to get a lot of benefits following this meeting as the topics that will be discussed will help to find the right ways to strengthen and enforce the law and access to human rights.”
The four-day agenda will cover a wide range of legal issues, including discussions on digital assets, electronic resources for efficient legal systems, access to justice for people with disabilities, and developments in climate legislation. The outcomes from this meeting will significantly influence the agenda for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa later this year.
The Mora Hotel in Zanzibar has been chosen as the venue for the event.
