BASSETERRE, St. Kitts -- The Commonwealth Secretariat has confirmed the Federation’s participation in the upcoming Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting.
Scheduled for March 4th in Tanzania, the event is expected to welcome ministers and attorneys-general from 56 member states worldwide to Zanzibar to discuss common legal frameworks.
In its statement, the Secretariat noted that the general focus theme for this year will be 'Technology and Innovation: How Digitalization Paves the Way for the Development of People-Centered Access to Justice.'
“Under this theme, law ministers will examine ethical ways to use technology to make legal services and information more accessible to people, while exploring responses to threats, such as cybercrime,” the media statement noted.
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland KC, commended the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for making exceptional arrangements for the meeting. In commenting on the event, the SG referenced the need for attention to be placed on closing the access to justice gap, “which currently affects two-thirds of the world’s population”.
“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,” SG Scotland KC explained, emphasizing the priority to “help all our member states deliver equal access to justice for all,” noting that it requires legal systems that can meet the needs of all.
“The upcoming Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting offers us a vital platform to discuss the growing threats to the rule of law and find innovative ways to deliver the changes which will guarantee justice for every one of the 2.5 billion people living in our Commonwealth.”
According to the Secretariat, the meeting’s four-day agenda will cover a range of topical legal issues, including digital assets, electronic resources for efficient legal systems, access to justice for people with disabilities, and developments in climate legislation. The meeting will be held at the Mora Hotel in Zanzibar from 4 to 8 March 2024.
