Johannesburg Arbitration Week 2026 to examine arbitration’s role in a fragmented global order

Andile Nikani, CEO at AFSA

Hosted by the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) and its co-hosts and partners, the conference will take place under the theme Arbitration in a Fragmented Global Order: The Future of Trade, Investment and Sustainable Development. The programme will examine how shifting geopolitical dynamics, sanctions, trade blocs, Brics, the AfCFTA, technological change and enforcement challenges are reshaping arbitration across the continent.

“Johannesburg Arbitration Week 2026 is an important platform for advancing the conversation on arbitration in Africa and for strengthening Johannesburg’s position as a sophisticated arbitral hub. This important conference brings together a remarkable breadth of expertise and perspective to challenge the status quo and advance dispute resolution across the continent,” says Andile Nikani, AFSA CEO.

The speaker line-up includes former presidents Joaquim Alberto Chissano, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, alongside senior judges and leading practitioners from South Africa and abroad.

The three-day event opens on Tuesday 5 May with AFSA’s opening session, a keynote address, and high-level discussions on leadership and dispute resolution in Africa, including Statesmen in Dialogue and Arbitration Through the Eyes of the Bench. Sessions later in the day marking AFSA’s 30th anniversary will consider the implications of Brics, the AfCFTA and the changing rules-based order for arbitration, alongside discussions on mining disputes, resource nationalism and the growth of African arbitral hubs.

On Wednesday, 6 May, the programme will centre on uncertainty, legislative modernisation and enforcement, beginning with a plenary session on Africa’s evolving legal frameworks, including developments in BITs and increased judicial support for enforcement. This will be followed by a forward-looking discussion on the future of arbitration advocacy, with a focus on AI-assisted evidence, virtual hearings and the ethical implications of technology-augmented counsel. The day will also feature an “AFSA in the World” address, as well as a dedicated Kalagadi moot session.

In the afternoon, discussions will turn to the impact of sanctions on international arbitration and enforcement, alongside sessions exploring energy, infrastructure and transition risk in Africa’s commercial landscape. Further breakaway sessions will examine disputes relating to critical minerals and energy security, trends in arbitral procedure and institutional practice in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the growing use of AI in arbitration proceedings.

Thursday, 7 May will open with a plenary session, followed by an AFSA institutional panel on collaboration and the future of arbitration across the continent. A Young AFSA session will explore whether mediation is emerging as the preferred mechanism for resolving cross-border disputes in an increasingly divided global environment. The programme will conclude with a conference review, closing remarks, and a final networking lunch.

JAW 2026 is supported by an extensive network of co-hosts, partners and supporting organisations, reflecting the strength and reach of Africa’s arbitration community. Co-hosts and partners include the JSA, Bowmans, CDH, Baker McKenzie, Advocates for Transformation, AFSA, CAJAC, Webber Wentzel and Jus Mundi, alongside a broad coalition of regional and international organisations committed to advancing dispute resolution, institutional collaboration and the continued growth of arbitration in Africa. Their involvement underscores the collaborative spirit of JAW and the conference’s role as a platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing and cross-border engagement.