Bibliographie sélective OHADA

Land transport operators in Cameroon can be criminally and civilly liable as a result of an accident resulting from their actions. This is provided for in section 289(1) of the penal code1. The criminal liability can be either in tort law, like in negligence, vicarious liability and strict liability, as well as under contract law. The criminal liability can be for an imprisonment term, the payment of a fine, or loss of life or destruction of property. However, the nature of liability in cases of accidents is faced with problems in Cameroon, as the cases suffer from continuous delay before the courts, weak sanctions provided in the penal code and more. This paper sets out to examine the efficiency of the nature of liability of transport operators in cases of accidents in Cameroon. A doctrinal research method has been adopted where the researcher has analyzed both primary and secondary sources of information. The primary sources are the laws and cases decided by courts, while the secondary sources are other write up which the researcher consulted to complete the research paper. Our findings reveal that the laxity of the courts and weak sanctions provided by the Penal code affects the effectiveness of the liability regime for transport operators in cases of accidents. We recommend that the penal code be revised and a more stringent criminal sanction be put in place. Also, a separate court system should be set up for disputes related to accidents to solve the problem of continuous delay before the courts.

This dissertation interrogates the extraordinary character of transitional justice as a legal project. My central claim is that treating procedure as dispensable in pursuit of expansive transformative goals is a disservice to the project itself. The prevailing assumption among scholars and practitioners has been that the existential battles of a transition are fought and won at the macro level: in the text of peace agreements, in constitutional amendments, or in grand normative commitments to truth, justice, and reparation. I show that some of the most consequential distributions of power take place elsewhere: in the granular procedural rules that govern how tribunals operate in practice. Procedural analysis serves here as both method and argument, disaggregating legal rules to reveal who bears costs and who captures benefits, and exposing how procedural opacity creates space for alternative sources of law to emerge. I contend that the exception in exceptional justice should not extend to procedural rigor, and that holding transitional tribunals to the same standards as any other apex court is not a limitation on what transitional justice can achieve, but the condition under which its achievements can be considered legitimate. Taken together, these moves advance a broader theoretical claim: that transitional justice sustains and reinforces the very same distributive arrangements as ordinary justice, rather than disrupting them. I develop these arguments by examining transitional justice in the Colombian 2016 peace process - one of the few ongoing transitional justice processes in the world, and therefore an important site for observing the legal project of transition in motion rather than in retrospect. I engage with Colombia as a matter of epistemic justice: my political commitment is that Latin America is not merely a recipient of international legal frameworks developed elsewhere but an important site in their production. I do not take Colombia as my object because it is exceptional. I take it because the claim that it is, and what that claim conceals, is precisely what this dissertation contests. Cette thèse interroge le caractère extraordinaire de la justice transitionnelle en tant que projet juridique. Mon argument central est que traiter la procédure comme accessoire, au nom d'objectifs transformateurs ambitieux, dessert le projet lui-même. L'hypothèse dominante a été que les batailles décisives d'une transition se gagnent au niveau macro : dans les accords de paix, les réformes constitutionnelles, les grands engagements normatifs en faveur de la vérité et de la réparation. Je montre que certaines des distributions de pouvoir les plus importantes se jouent ailleurs : dans les règles procédurales qui gouvernent le fonctionnement concret des tribunaux. L'analyse procédurale est ici à la fois méthode et argument : elle désagrège les règles juridiques pour révéler qui supporte les coûts et qui capte les bénéfices, et met en évidence comment l'opacité procédurale crée un espace pour l'émergence de sources alternatives du droit. Je soutiens que l'exception dans la justice exceptionnelle ne devrait pas s'étendre à la rigueur procédurale, et que soumettre les tribunaux transitionnels aux mêmes exigences que tout autre tribunal de rang supérieur n'est pas une limite à ce que la justice transitionnelle peut accomplir, mais la condition sous laquelle ses accomplissements peuvent être considérés comme légitimes. Ces arguments avancent une thèse théorique plus large : la justice transitionnelle maintient et renforce les mêmes distributions que la justice ordinaire, plutôt que de les remettre en cause. Je les développe en examinant le processus de paix colombien de 2016 - terrain privilégié pour observer la transition en train de se faire. J'aborde la Colombie comme une question de justice épistémique : l'Amérique latine n'est pas simplement destinataire de cadres juridiques élaborés ailleurs, mais un lieu important de leur production.

This article examines the effects of oil revenues on human capital in CEMAC countries over the period 1995–2020. The study is based on a dynamic panel of five countries (Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Chad). The data are sourced from the IMF, the World Bank (WDI), the UNDP and the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI). The author employs the Blundell and Bond (1998) GMM system estimator to address the endogeneity and persistence of human capital, supplemented by interaction term models and robustness tests (stationarity, cross-sectional dependence). The analyses reveal a negative or non-significant effect of oil revenues on human capital indicators (school enrolment, life expectancy, HDI-education). Institutional quality acts as a powerful positive moderator, whilst revenue volatility has a detrimental effect. These results highlight the need for better governance, stabilisation funds and a more efficient allocation of oil revenues towards education and health.

Temporary labour migration constitutes both a historical phenomenon and an enduring central issue within the European Union. This thesis adopts a socio-legal approach to analyse the cases of France and Spain, focusing on seasonal work and posting of workers in the agricultural sector. It examines the experiences of temporary migrant women workers at the intersection of migration law and labour and social security law, in particular with regard to social security. Drawing on an intersectional perspective articulated around the concept of vulnerability, this research highlights the structuring role of law in these women’s experiences. This thesis demonstrates that the applicable legal framework contributes to reinforcing their vulnerability by establishing a system of exclusion and invisibilisation based on migration status, employment status and a gendered and racialised labour division, thereby limiting these women’s effective access to rights linked to their participation in the labour market, such as unemployment benefits, as well as to those relating to their reproductive lives. La migration temporaire de travail constitue à la fois un phénomène historique et un enjeu toujours central au sein de l’Union européenne. Cette thèse analyse, dans une perspective sociojuridique, les cas de la France et de l’Espagne, en se concentrant sur le travail saisonnier et le travail détaché dans le secteur agricole. Elle examine l’expérience des travailleuses migrantes temporaires à l’intersection du droit des migrations et du droit social, notamment en matière de sécurité sociale. Mobilisant une perspective intersectionnelle articulée au concept de vulnérabilité, cette recherche met en lumière le rôle structurant du droit dans l’expérience de ces femmes. La thèse démontre que le cadre juridique applicable contribue à renforcer leur situation de vulnérabilité en instaurant un système d’exclusion et d’invisibilisation fondé sur le statut migratoire, le statut d’emploi, et une division du travail genrée et racialisée, limitant ainsi l’accès effectif de ces femmes aux droits liés à leur participation au marché du travail, tels que le droit au chômage, ainsi qu’à ceux relatifs à leur vie reproductive.

The protection and promotion of land acquisition in Cameroon is ensured through a number of legal and administrative institutions established by the State to regulate land ownership, guarantee security of tenure and ensure land transactions are conducted in accordance with the law. These institutions operate within the framework established by the 1974 Land Ordinances, which reorganized the Land tenure system and create mechanisms for the management and allocation of land. Key institutions such as the Ministry of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure, Land Consultative Boards, local administrative authorities and the courts play significant roles in supervising land registration, resolving disputes and ensuring that the procedures for acquiring both private and public land are respected. Despite the important, the effectiveness of these institutions is sometimes challenged by administrative delays and corruption. Nevertheless, their existence remains fundamental in promoting secure land tenure, facilitating lawful land transactions and strengthening confidence in the administration system in Cameroon. This article is based on the hypothetical premise that the role the institutions put in place to protect and promote land acquisition in Cameroon is ineffective. It seeks to examine the effectiveness of the role of the institutions in protecting and promoting land acquisition. Adopting the Doctrinal research method, the paper concludes that with improved coordination, institutional reforms, greater transparency and stronger enforcement of land laws, these bodies can more effectively fulfil their mandate of ensuring secure land tenure, reducing land disputes and encouraging sustainable land development and investment in Cameroon.

Long ago before the creation of the state courts, men had resorted to arbitration for the resolution of diputes. Today, based on the principle of monopoly of the state to render justice, the power to judge is given only to the state. Rendering of justice is one of the areas where the state exeercises its sovereign powers. This has made us to ask the question : is arbitration a violation of the sovereignty of the state in the domain of dispute resolution ? Arbitration is not a violation of the sovereign powers of the state because, it is not all disputes that are resolved via arbitration (for example, crimnal, tax disputes etc can not be settled via arbitration) and the state courts intervene in arbitratin when ever it is necessary. The sate courts intervene in arbitration to grant exequatur, order interim mesaures etc. Nonetheless, since OHADA legislator has not given a complete list of all disputes that can not be resolve via arbitration, we recomend that OHADA should provide a list of all disputes whcih can be settle via arbitration as it is the case with the Arbitration Act of Zimbabw. This article aims at identifying those cases that can not be settled by way of arbitration and those instances in which the state courts intervene in arbitration. Avant la création des tribunaux étatiques, les hommes ont eu recours à l'arbitrage pour la résolution des litiges. Aujourd'hui, sur la base du principe du monopole de l'État à rendre la justice, le pouvoir de juger n'est conféré qu'à l'État. Le fait de rendre la justice est l'un des domaines dans lesquels l'État exerce ses pouvoirs souverains. Cela nous a amenés à poser la question : l'arbitrage constitue-t-il une violation de la souveraineté de l'État dans le domaine du règlement des différends ? L'arbitrage n'est pas une violation des pouvoirs souverains de l'État car, d'une part, tous les litiges ne sont pas résolus par voie d'arbitrage (par exemple, les litiges pénaux, fiscaux, etc. ne peuvent pas être réglés par arbitrage) et, d'autre part, les tribunaux étatiques interviennent dans l'arbitrage chaque fois que cela est nécessaire. Les tribunaux étatiques interviennent dans l'arbitrage pour accorder l'exequatur, ordonner des mesures provisoires, etc. Néanmoins, étant donné que le législateur de l'OHADA n'a pas établi une liste exhaustive de tous les litiges qui ne peuvent pas être résolus par arbitrage, nous recommandons que l'OHADA fournisse une liste de tous les litiges qui peuvent être réglés par voie d'arbitrage, comme c'est le cas dans la loi sur l'arbitrage du Zimbabwe. Cet article vise à identifier les litiges qui ne peuvent pas être réglés par voie d'arbitrage ainsi que les situations dans lesquelles les tribunaux étatiques interviennent dans l'arbitrage.

This paper analyses the minimum wage as an instrument to provide a sustainable livelihood for employees and their families. In addressing this topic, the paper questions whether the present- day minimum wage of the country can actually enhance a sustainable livelihood for workers and their families in urban centres in general, and in the Buea municipality in particular. The paper further examines the relevant international and domestic instruments, such as the ILO Minimum Wage Fixing Convention No. 131 and the 1992 Labour Code of Cameroon. Findings reveal that the current minimum wage, which stands at 43,969 FRS, is grossly inadequate and does not match the prices of basic commodities needed for survival in the country as a whole and in Buea specifically. This, therefore, necessitates an increase in the current minimum wage. Given this situation, workers struggle to attain a sustainable livelihood. A new minimum wage policy considering Cameroon’s current economic situation could alleviate the suffering of these workers. Cet article analyse le salaire minimum en tant qu’instrument permettant d’assurer des moyens de substance durable aux travailleurs et leurs familles. Abordant cette problématique, l’étude s’interroge sur la capacité du salaire minimum actuellement en vigueur dans le pays à garantir effectivement un niveau de vie durable aux travailleurs et à leurs familles dans les centres urbains en général, et dans la municipalité de Buea en particulier. L’article examine en outre les instruments internationaux et nationaux pertinents, tel que la Convention (n° 131) de l’OIT sur la fixation des salaires minima et le Code du travail camerounais de 1992. Les résulta révèlent que le salaire minimum actuel, fixé à 43,969 FCFA est largement insuffisant, et ne correspond pas au coût des produits de première nécessité indispensables à la survie, tant a l’échelle nationale qu’à Buea en particulier. Cette situation rend donc nécessaire une revalorisation du salaire minimum en vigueur. Dans ces conditions, les travailleurs éprouvent de sérieuses difficultés à atteindre des moyens de subsistance durables. L’adoption une nouvelle politique de salaires minimum, tenant compte de la situation économique actuelle du Cameroun, pourrait contribuer à atténuer les souffrances de ces travailleurs.

L'Internet est devenu une partie essentielle de la vie moderne. Un développement important est «l'Internet des objets» (IoT), qui connecte des dispositifs physiques à Internet. Plus récemment, un concept plus large est apparu: «l'Internet de tout» (IoE), intégrant quatre composantes, les personnes, les processus, les données et les objets. L'ajout de l'intelligence artificielle (IA) à l'IoE a donné naissance à «l'Intelligence Artificielle de Tout» (IAdT). Cette combinaison offre des avantages significatifs pour le secteur de l'énergie en optimisant la production, la distribution et la consommation d'énergie. Cependant, elle soulève également des défis critiques en matière de protection des données, de cybersécurité et de localisation des données. Dans cette thèse, j'explore comment les gouvernements et les entreprises énergétiques peuvent collaborer pour répondre aux risques liés à la confidentialité et à la cybersécurité des technologies IAdT. J'analyse également les exigences de localisation des données et j'examine les cadres réglementaires pertinents, en particulier au sein de l'Union européenne (avec un accent sur l'Irlande) et au Canada (y compris la province de l'Ontario). The Internet has become an essential part of modern life. One significant development is the “Internet of Things” (IoT), which connects physical devices to the Internet. More recently, a broader concept has emerged: the “Internet of Everything” (IoE), which integrates four key components: people, processes, data, and things. The addition of artificial intelligence (AI) to IoE has given rise to the "Artificial Intelligence of Everything" (AIoE). This combination offers significant benefits to the energy sector by optimizing energy production, distribution, and consumption. However, it also introduces critical challenges related to data protection, cybersecurity, and data localization. In this thesis, I explore how governments and energy companies can collaborate to address privacy and cybersecurity risks associated with AIoE technologies. I also analyze data localization requirements and review relevant regulatory frameworks, particularly within the European Union (with a focus on Ireland) and Canada (including the province of Ontario).

Recently, human trafficking has been on a rise with African states fighting to put an end to the crime by protecting victims, prosecuting culprits and collaborating with other partners. As a giant step towards fighting this crime, many African states ratified the Palermo Protocol, Ouagadougou Action Plan, domesticated trafficking laws and put in place institutions. Despite these efforts, trafficking in persons remain a persistent crime due to conflicts, poverty, unemployment and corruption, which increase the vulnerability of persons within and from Africa. Adopting a doctrinal research method, this paper questions the effectiveness of African States’ efforts to protect, prosecute and prevent this crime in and from Africa. It concludes that, while African states must be applauded for their efforts to protect, prosecute and collaborate with other states and organizations to combat this crime, much still remains to be done. This is due to the existence of factors like poverty, unemployment that create vulnerabilities and enforcement challenges like corruption, victim identification, delays in cross-border collaboration and weak legal frameworks. African states should therefore address underlying socio-economic factors, strengthen their domestic legal frameworks and enhance international cooperation to fully combat this crime. Récemment, la traite des êtres humains a connu une recrudescence, et les États Africains s'efforcent d'y mettre fin en protégeant les victimes, en poursuivant les auteurs et en collaborant avec d'autres partenaires. Dans le cadre de cette lutte, de nombreux États Africains ont ratifié le Protocole de Palerme et le Plan d'action de Ouagadougou, intégré des lois nationales relatives à la traite et mis en place des institutions spécialisées. Malgré ces efforts, la traite des personnes demeure un crime persistant en raison des conflits, de la pauvreté, du chômage et de la corruption, qui accroissent la vulnérabilité des personnes en Afrique et en provenance d'Afrique. Adoptant une méthode de recherche doctrinale, cet article examine l'efficacité des efforts déployés par les États Africains pour protéger, poursuivre et prévenir ce crime sur leur territoire et à partir de leur territoire. Il conclut que, alors que les États Africains doivent être salués pour leurs efforts de protection, de poursuite et de collaboration avec d'autres États et organisations pour combattre ce crime, il reste encore beaucoup à faire. Ceci s'explique par l'existence de facteurs tels que la pauvreté et le chômage, qui créent des vulnérabilités, et par des difficultés d'application de la loi comme la corruption, l'identification des victimes, les retards dans la collaboration transfrontalière et la faiblesse des cadres juridiques. Les États africains devraient donc s'attaquer aux facteurs socio économiques sous-jacents, renforcer leurs cadres juridiques nationaux et intensifier la coopération internationale afin de lutter pleinement contre ce crime.

The book asks whether the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) in international arbitration represents a revolution or an evolution of the international dispute resolution landscape. Critically engaging with the transformative impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), this book focuses on the integration of AI and GenAI into international commercial arbitration. Set against the backdrop of rapid technological advancement, it explores how arbitral tribunals and stakeholders are cautiously yet progressively adopting these innovations in a manner that respects and preserves the foundational principles of arbitration. Through an interdisciplinary and practice-oriented approach, the book examines the evolving role of AI in arbitration. It analyzes how AI is perceived and applied by parties, arbitral institutions, and arbitrators, as well as assesses the legal frameworks in place to govern it. Offering a balanced analysis of both the opportunities and legal and ethical dilemmas posed by emerging technologies, the book asks if a duty of disclosure is relevant in relation to AI use, and what challenges this might entail. It also covers the status of AI-generated arbitral awards under international law, as well as copyright law. This book will be of interest to researchers in the field of international arbitration and commercial law

Cette thèse examine le traitement par la régulation européenne de la problématique des injustices structurelles sociales liées aux grands réseaux sociaux. Pour ce faire, elle opère une synthèse de nombreuses recherches empiriques qui mettent en évidence les inégalités dans la gouvernance des contenus, et s'appuie sur des perspectives théoriques tirées de la philosophie politique, de la théorie juridique féministe, et des recherches en droit et économie politique. Elle présente trois lignes d'argumentation principales. Premièrement, le droit européen n'empêche pas les injustices telles que la discrimination dans la modération, les violences en ligne, ou la visibilité inégale des différents groupes sociaux, parce qu'il conceptualise ces inégalités d'une manière individualiste et formaliste, visant à protéger les droits d'individus particuliers et à assurer l'application des règles prédéfinies, tout en ignorant la nature systémique des inégalitésDeuxièmement, le droit contribue souvent activement aux injustices : par exemple, en permettant aux agences policières de demander la suppression des contenus pour des raisons politiques. Troisièmement, les aspects du cadre réglementaire qui sont perçus comme les plus à même de combattre les inégalités systémiques, à savoir les obligations autour de la gestion des risques et les principes des droits de l'homme, se révèlent en réalité peu capables d'empêcher les injustices structurelles. Ces deux éléments restent en effet inscrits dans un paradigme de régulation technocratique, dépolitisée, et favorable au marché, et excluent toute contestation réelle du pouvoir ou des pratiques commerciales des plateformes de « big tech ». This thesis analyses EU regulation of social media content governance, focusing on how the law addresses the impacts of the largest platforms on structural social injustice. To do so, it draws on theoretical perspectives from political philosophy, feminist and queer legal theory, and law and political economy, and synthesises a wide range of empirical scholarship that illuminates the unjust impacts of social media platforms' content governance. It makes three main arguments.First, EU law cannot effectively address unjust impacts - such as discriminatory content moderation, online violence, or the unequal visibility of different social groups - because it regulates them in a highly individualistic and formalistic way, focused on protecting individual rights and consistently applying predefined rules, which overlooks systemic inequalities and their connections to underlying political-economic structures. Second, moreover, the law often actively contributes to injustice: for example, by excluding minority perspectives from platform governance, or by making it easier for state institutions to target politically disfavoured content for removal. Third, the two aspects of the legal framework which are widely seen by experts as the most promising levers to address systemic inequalities and power disparities - risk management obligations, and human rights principles - are also incapable of counteracting these problems. They remain limited by a technocratic, depoliticised and marketised regulatory paradigm, which excludes genuine political contestation of the power of 'big tech' platforms to organise online content in line with their own commercial interests.

Since its innovation as a modern financial product in the 1970s, securitization has swept the global financial market. In 2000s, in order to ease China’s concentrated debt risks in the banking system and to improve the country’s imbalanced financial system, the Chinese government started to promote a trial program of securitization. An associated regulatory system was then created to facilitate the development of the Chinese securitization markets. Unlike regulations drafted and applied in North America, where an ex-ante regulatory analysis procedure and an ex-post evaluation system are installed, the current Chinese securitization regulation system is built mainly upon a basis of trial and interim rules. In other words, Chinese regulations regarding securitization were not comprehensively assessed before their adoption and there has been no systemic ex-post evaluation of the current securitization regulatory system in the past 20 years. This raises the question of whether the Chinese securitization regulation system facilitates the achievement of its regulatory objectives. The author purports to answer this question using three tools: The theory of regulation, legal historical analysis of law, and comparative law. To begin the analysis, the author designs an analytical framework based on the theory of regulation to evaluate Chinese regulations on securitization. In this evaluative framework, perspectives and criteria are stipulated to guide and draw the boundary of the evaluation. While applying the analytical framework, the author reviews the development of the Chinese securitization regulatory system over the past 20 years. The author studies the historical context of regulations established and regulatory modifications adopted in order to assess whether the logic embedded in the current Chinese securitization regulatory system is still valid. To better evaluate the Chinese securitization regulatory system, the author also applies a micro comparison of certain Chinese securitization regulations with their counterparts in North America. The purpose of this comparison is also to understand whether the Chinese characteristics in Chinese securitization regulations facilitate the achievement of its regulatory objectives. At the end of this assessment, the author provides a report to find the merits and disadvantages of Chinese securitization regulatory system. Due to the evaluative nature of this research, no demonstrated solutions are proposed in this report. Depuis sa création dans les années 1970, la titrisation s’est répandue à travers le marché financier mondial. Dans les années 2000, le gouvernement chinois a commencé à promouvoir le programme de titrisation afin d'atténuer les risques liés à la concentration de la dette dans le système bancaire et d'améliorer un système financier déséquilibré. La règlementation associée a été mise en place pour faciliter le développement du marché chinois de la titrisation. Contrairement aux régles créées et appliquées en Amérique du Nord, qui suivent une analyse ex ante —c’est-à-dire avant leur adoption — et une évaluation ex post — soit après leur application pendant une certaine période, le système de réglementation de la titrisation actuellement en vigueur en Chine a été élaboré sur la base d’essais et de mesures provisoires. Autrement dit, la Chine ne s’est pas fondée sur une analyse ex ante approfondie, et n’a mené aucune évaluation systémique ex post de ses réglementations de la titrisation au cours des vingt dernières années. Ce système chinois de réglementation de la titrisation facilite-t-il ou non la réalisation de ses objectifs réglementaires ? L'auteur tente de répondre à cette question à partir de trois outils : la théorie de la réglementation, l’analyse historique du droit et le droit comparé. Pour commencer, l’auteur conçoit un cadre analytique basé sur la théorie de la réglementation pour évaluer les dispositions chinoises en matière de titrisation. Dans ce cadre d’évaluation, des perspectives et des critères sont proposés pour guider et délimiter l’évaluation. À la lumière de ce cadre analytique, l’auteur replace la réglementation chinoise de la titrisation dans son contexte historique et retrace les modifications apportées au cours de deux dernières décennies. Il s’agit ainsi d’évaluer si la logique qui a présidé à l’adoption de ces règles reste valide dans le contexte actuel. Mais pour mieux saisir les caractéristiques de la réglementation chinoise de la titrisation, l’auteur ajoute à cette analyse historique interne à la Chine des micro-comparaisons de la titrisation chinoise et de ses règles avec leurs homologues nord-américains dans différentes sections de cette thèse. C’est ainsi qu’il sera possible de voir si les caractéristiques chinoises de la réglementation en matière de titrisation facilitent ou non la réalisation de ses objectifs. Au terme de cette recherche évaluative, l’on proposera un rapport qui mettra en lumière les avantages et les inconvénients du système chinois. En raison de sa nature évaluative, cette thèse ne proposera aucune solution aux inconvénients repérés.

Under the aegis of efficiency and neutrality, algorithmic risk-assessment tools have been rapidly inserted into the realm of pretrial justice, promising scientific and objective prediction where presumption of innocence and scarce resources are pitted against each other. Their sprawl has been uneven and confined to looser pretrial rules than would govern similar proof at trial. These systems translate miscellaneous data into scores of “risk,” inviting courts to act on what might happen rather than on what has been proven, within a process already plagued by plea bargaining, racial disparity, and institutional asymmetry. This thesis argues that such tools do not merely constitute information about the defendant; they reorder what counts as usable knowledge and who is treated as a credible knower at the weakest stage of a criminal process. The thesis lays out how scores interact with judicial decision-making; how ostensibly neutral inputs (criminal history, prior contacts, residence, employment) can re-encode social disadvantage; and how opacity and trade-secret claims frustrate fundamental rights such as due process. The doctrinal analysis clarifies the boundary between regulation and punishment under United States v. Salerno, the demands of proportionality, and the significance of the presumption of innocence when decisions are predictive. A brief technical account explains why claims of “explainability” often exceed what such models can reliably demonstrate for legal purposes, but the core argument is juridical: claims of legitimacy must be substantiated by enforceable safeguards; falling short of that, systems described as ‘explainable' or ‘fair' remain as fancy adjectives. The thesis contends that the safeguards that govern the trial must be applied earlier in the criminal process, where liberty is already fragile. Accordingly, the thesis argues for invoking evidentiary rules early on: demonstrating reliability of the tools; reasoned judicial decisions that explain how any score was weighed against case-specific facts; meaningful opportunities for defence challenge; and, where appropriate, access to independent expertise to translate model outputs without displacing judicial authorship. The researcher is of the opinion that these emphases are necessary so that pretrial decisions remain individualised and proportionate and detention retains its status as an exceptional, non-punitive measure. Finally, it defends doubt as a juridical virtue, a disciplined moment of pause that reins in the allure of algorithmic certainty and reasserts judicial responsibility, so that the presumption of innocence and liberty remains the rule even in a predictive age. Sous l'égide de l'efficacité et de la neutralité, les outils algorithmiques d'évaluation du risque ont été rapidement introduits dans le domaine de la justice pré-procès, promettant une prédiction scientifique et objective là où la présomption d'innocence et la rareté des ressources se trouvent mises en tension. Leur déploiement a été inégal et s'est inscrit dans des règles pré-procès plus souples que celles qui régiraient des éléments de preuve similaires au stade du procès. Ces systèmes traduisent des données hétérogènes en scores de « risque », invitant les juridictions à agir en fonction de ce qui pourrait advenir plutôt que de ce qui a été prouvé, au sein d'un processus déjà marqué par le plaider-coupable, les disparités raciales et les asymétries institutionnelles. La présente thèse soutient que de tels outils ne constituent pas seulement une information relative au prévenu ; ils réorganisent ce qui compte comme connaissance mobilisable et déterminent qui est traité comme un sujet crédible de savoir au stade le plus fragile de la procédure pénale. Elle expose la manière dont les scores interagissent avec la prise de décision judiciaire ; comment des variables présentées comme neutres (antécédents judiciaires, contacts antérieurs avec la police, résidence, emploi) peuvent réencoder des désavantages sociaux ; et comment l'opacité ainsi que les revendications de secret commercial entravent des droits fondamentaux tels que le droit à une procédure régulière. L'analyse doctrinale précise la frontière entre régulation et punition au regard de l'arrêt United States v. Salerno, les exigences de proportionnalité et la portée de la présomption d'innocence lorsque les décisions sont de nature prédictive. Un bref exposé technique explique pourquoi les prétentions à « l'explicabilité » excèdent souvent ce que ces modèles peuvent démontrer de manière fiable à des fins juridiques, mais l'argument central demeure juridique : les revendications de légitimité doivent être étayées par des garanties effectives ; à défaut, les systèmes qualifiés d'« explicables » ou d'« équitables » ne demeurent que des adjectifs séduisants. La thèse soutient que les garanties gouvernant le procès doivent être appliquées plus en amont dans le processus pénal, là où la liberté est déjà fragile. En conséquence, elle plaide pour une mobilisation précoce des règles de preuve : démonstration de la fiabilité des outils ; décisions judiciaires motivées expliquant la manière dont tout score a été mis en balance avec les faits propres à l'affaire ; possibilités effectives de contestation par la défense ; et, le cas échéant, accès à une expertise indépendante permettant de traduire les résultats des modèles sans se substituer à l'autorité judiciaire. La chercheuse estime que ces exigences sont nécessaires afin que les décisions pré-procès demeurent individualisées et proportionnées, et que la détention conserve son caractère exceptionnel et non punitif. Enfin, la thèse défend le doute comme une vertu juridique, moment discipliné de suspension qui tempère l'attrait de la certitude algorithmique et réaffirme la responsabilité judiciaire, afin que la présomption d'innocence et la liberté demeurent la règle, y compris à l'ère prédictive.

Banks are regarded as special financial institutions because, apart from the various critical intermediary and other functions they fulfil in a financial system, the hallmark of their business models is receiving deposits from the public and using such deposits for extending loans against interest from which they make profit. Unlike other companies, banks are however vulnerable to loss of public confidence and remain exposed to various risks and failure. Banks are thus critically important actors in domestic and global financial systems, - thus their safety is critical to the maintenance of financial stability. As a result, banks are subject to stringent regulation and supervision to ensure their safety. Despite prudential regulation, the failure of banks remains a reality. If the risk of bank failure is not adequately addressed through appropriate regulation and supervision, , it may result in a financial crisis like the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (2008 GFC). Because banks play a special role in an economy and their failure may have an adverse impact on financial stability and depositors, this thesis aligns with the view expressed by academics and international organisations that there is a need for a special regime (lex specialis) to deal with the failure of banks since normal insolvency procedures are not suitable for this purpose. f. This is because bank failures require swift, timely intervention by a supervisor to resolve failing banks in an orderly and optimal manner to ensure the maintenance of financial stability, depositor protection and relegating bailouts with taxpayers’ money as a last resort. A very notable lesson that emanated from the 2008 GFC is the criticality of special resolution frameworks for banks; the need to balance the interests of shareholders, creditors, and depositors, while promoting financial stability objectives. As a result, the need for special resolution frameworks for banks which empowers Resolution Authorities with adequate resolution tools and powers to resolve a failing bank timeous and orderly , has become a legislative imperative in contemporary financial systems. To deal with bank failures in Namibia, the Banking Institutions Act, 2 of 1998 (the BIA 1998) contained provisions that allowed for the assumption of control and liquidation of a failed bank. However, the newly enacted Banking Institution Act 13 of 2023 (the BIA 2023 which repealed the BIA 1998) has changed that position and introduced a single provision in section 70 that provides for bank resolution. Until now, prior to the introduction of this very new statutory provision, all bank failures in Namibia were dealt with under the limited supervisory tools of the BIA 1998. This study seeks to determine whether section 70 of the BIA 2023, is sufficiently aligned with international best practice as captured in the Financial Stability Board’s Key Attributes of Effective Resolution Regimes for Financial Institutions (FSB KAs), issued in 2011, as updated in 2014 and 2024. Alternatively, if the regime introduced by the BIA 2023 does not adequately align with the FSB KAs it is then considered whether the new Namibian bank resolution framework requires to be strengthened further to better align it with the FSB KAs. To consider possible further reforms to the new Namibian bank resolution regime, this thesis considers the resolution frameworks in Germany and Nigeria by way of comparative studies to observe best practices.

Despite being part of Australian law for more than 30 years, the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (‘CISG’) has not secured the internationally minded interpretation that CISG art 7(1) requires. Australia’s international commercial arbitration (‘ICA’) laws, however, are routinely approached by Australian courts with an internationalist perspective, as their own interpretative rules require. It is tempting to conclude that Australia’s approach to interpreting its ICA laws is transferable to the CISG context. In this article I address a previously unexplored nuance affecting that conclusion. Australian courts routinely accept Singaporean, Hong Kong and New Zealand interpretative influence concerning ICA laws. In the CISG context, however, significantly less influence from those jurisdictions exists. That being so, I explore how Australia’s courts might better apply the CISG in an internationalist manner. First, I recommend that Australia’s courts emphasise to practitioners the need to consider the CISG’s application and its internationalist interpretation requirements. Second, I recommend that Australian courts use the amicus curiae procedure to solicit third party submissions addressing the CISG’s interpretation. Both techniques are applied by foreign courts in the ICA context and would assist Australian courts in discharging their CISG art 7(1) obligations.

From rationality to reality. The evolution of law and economics through the behavioral lens. Understanding how we choose: foundations of behavioral economics. Rethinking law through the lens of behavioral economics. Why law needs behavioral economics. The challenge of integrating behavioral economics into private law: freedom vs regulation. The double-edged sword of behavioral economics: protecting consumers from psychological manipulation. Balancing innovation and consumer rights: a global view on consumer protection in the EU, Italy and Colombia. Alternative dispute resolution and the judicial agreements. The justice system seen though behavioral economics. Judicial agreements: procedural autonomy and enhancing judicial cooperation. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and mediation: legal frameworks, party autonomy and behavioral economic. A brief comparative analysis on mediation: EU, Italy and Colombia. Applying behavioral economics in the ADR (mediation).

This study investigates how blockchain integration, regulatory policies, and the participation of institutional investors impact fintech innovation in Jordanian fintech companies. A descriptive analytical approach was used to evaluate and summarize the effects of these factors on innovation in the sector. An electronic survey was conducted among 125 administrative personnel working in Jordan's fintech industry. The results indicate a strong presence of blockchain adoption, involvement of institutional investors, and overall fintech innovation in these companies. However, the regulatory landscape in Jordan's fintech sector was found to be moderate. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that both blockchain integration and the regulatory framework significantly influence fintech innovation, with a significance level of 0.05. In light of these findings, the study suggests the creation of strategies to promote blockchain adoption, aiming to enhance efficiency and innovation in the industry.

This study focuses on both domestic and foreign investment as indicators of economic growth in an emerging market context, examining the effects of tax reforms on investment decisions in Ghana from 1985 to 2020. The research employs a time-series analysis to integrate control variables like inflation, gross capital formation, and base rate, revealing their significant influence on investment activity in tandem with tax policy changes. Unlike previous research that mostly uses gross fixed capital formation as a proxy for investment, this study includes a wider range of investment types, giving a more complete picture of how the economy works. We did unit root and co-integration tests, which showed that the variables were first-order co-integrated. We performed the model estimate using a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) and Granger causality tests. Results reveal that tax reforms have a measurable impact on investment patterns, underscoring the importance of adaptive tax policies in promoting sustainable economic development. The findings contribute to the broader literature on investment and fiscal policy in emerging economies, offering insights for policy-makers on optimizing tax strategies to encourage investment and drive economic growth.

The provisions of USMCA and their interpretation and application in the developing case law of international arbitral tribunals constituted under its investment chapter show a progressive move towards a higher transparency standard in the resolution of inves-tor-State disputes. The incorporation of most of the UNCITRAL Rules on Transparen-cy in USMCA Annex 14-D expanded the scope of NAFTA’s transparency rules. The entry into force of USMCA and the recent end of NAFTA’s “legacy claims” is to bring normative uniformity across the case law of arbitral tribunals on issues of procedural transparency. In addition, better access to arbitral orders and awards under USMCA will promote the quality of the decisions, as tribunals and parties will be able to lean on the experience of their predecessors. Las disposiciones del T-MEC y su aplicación en la jurisprudencia arbitral internacional muestran un avance hacia mayores estándares de transparencia en disputas inversionista-Estado. Al incorporar la mayoría de las Reglas de Transparencia de la CNUDMI en su Anexo 14-D, el T-MEC amplió el marco del TLCAN. La entrada en vigor del T-MEC y el fin de las “reclamaciones heredadas” del TLCAN promueven una mayor uniformidad normativa en torno a la transparencia procesal. Esta coherencia fortalecerá la aceptación del capítulo de inversión del T-MEC y aumentará la legitimidad del arbitraje de inversiones a nivel global.

Identity management is a cornerstone of digital trade and a core component of trust services, starting with electronic signatures. However, there is limited awareness of its legal and technical implications. The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) has prepared a Model Law on the Use and Cross-border Recognition of Identity Management and Trust Services to provide uniform guidance on how to establish an enabling legal environment for identity management and trust services. The Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) has developed the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) and its digital counterpart the verifiable LEI (vLEI) as universal solutions for a secure and cost-effective persistent business identifier. This paper illustrates how the MLIT and the vLEI may interact to provide legal and operational certainty to identification needs, thus fostering global economic growth.