Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, Dean of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law School, has concluded a landmark diplomatic and academic mission to The Hague, where he led efforts to strengthen Ghana’s engagement with leading international justice bodies.
As part of Ghana’s official delegation to the 24th Annual Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Dr. Agyeman-Budu joined senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice in high-level engagements aimed at advancing Ghana’s role in global legal frameworks.
The delegation paid a courtesy visit to H.E. Marcin Czepelak, Secretary-General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), at the iconic Peace Palace.
Accelerating Ghana’s accession to the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes
Enhancing Ghana’s legal infrastructure for peaceful dispute resolution
Unlocking opportunities for foreign investment, development cooperation, and international arbitration
Dr. Agyeman-Budu extended a formal invitation to Secretary-General Czepelak to visit Ghana — a potential first-ever PCA leadership visit to the country.
Strategic Vision: GIMPA as Africa’s Hub for International Law
The Dean underscored GIMPA Law School’s commitment to internationalization, citing its:
Hosting of ICC judges and prosecutors for public lectures and government engagements
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) — hosted by GIMPA — and the ICC
A proposed GIMPA-PCA partnership…
Would facilitate academic exchange, joint research, and capacity-building
Align with GIMPA’s pioneering Master of Laws (LLM) in Dispute Resolution Law and Practice
Offer students hands-on training in international arbitration and mediation
“This partnership will empower Ghanaian legal professionals to lead in global dispute resolution,” Dr. Agyeman-Budu stated. “GIMPA is not just training lawyers — we are building architects of justice.”
The meeting was coordinated by Ms. Christine Amankwa, a distinguished GIMPA Law School alumna and current Assistant Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
National Impact of Accession
Ghana’s formal accession to the Hague Conventions will:
Strengthen participation in global peaceful dispute settlement mechanisms
Boost investor confidence through predictable legal frameworks
Position Ghana as a regional leader in alternative dispute resolution (ADR)
