Bibliographie sélective OHADA

La flexibilité de la nouvelle législation camerounaise du travail a des limites. En effet, l’employeur, au moment de l’embauche, est tenu de respecter les dispositions d’ordre public absolu prévues par le législateur social. Certaines contraintes spécifiques au droit du travail seront imposées au chef d'entreprise en vue de sauvegarder les intérêts fondamentaux du salarié. D’autres dispositions viseront les intérêts économiques de toute entreprise. Toutefois, il est permis aux partenaires sociaux, avec l’ordre public relatif, d’aménager certaines prescriptions législatives dans un sens plus favorable au salarié. Ils sont libres de le faire à tout stade de leur contrat, sur la base soit de l’article 1134 du Code civil, soit des conventions collectives du travail, des accords d’établissements ou des usages. C’est dire que la formation d’un contrat de travail peut être fortement influencée par des clauses plus favorables.

This article argues that the rule of contra proferentem is not applicable to international sales contracts governed by the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). It further argues that the common recognition of the rule of contra proferentem under the CISG is an instance of a broader phenomenon which it calls ‘internationality overreach’. ‘Internationality overreach’ is the tendency to project onto the provisions of a uniform private law instrument doctrines and concepts which are inaccurately presumed to constitute universally recognised principles of private law or the ‘common core’ of various legal systems. This article demonstrates that internationality overreach disrupts the goals underpinning the harmonisation of commercial law in two ways: first, it undermines uniformity in the application of international conventions; and, second, it leads to outcomes that fall short of the agreement reached by the Contracting States during the drafting process. While this article focuses on the CISG, the argument developed in this article is of equal relevance to other uniform private law conventions which follow the principle of autonomous interpretation.

Le mariage est une institution fondamentale dans de nombreuses sociétés africaines, et le droit OHADA (Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires) joue un rôle clé dans la régulation des relations entre époux. Depuis son adoption en 1993, le droit OHADA a visé à harmoniser les législations nationales en matière de droit des affaires et de la famille, le législateur s’est également intéressé aux époux. Dans ce contexte il est essentiel de comprendre la place des époux en droit OHADA, notamment en ce qui concerne les droits et devoirs des époux, la gestion des biens communs et personnels dans leurs activités économiques en mettant en lumière les principaux aspects de ce sujet fascinant. Mariage is a fondamental institution in many African societies,and OHADA law plays a key role in regulating relations between spouses.Since its Adoption in 1993.The aim of ohada law has been to harmonise national legislation on business and family law,and the legislator has also taken an interest in spouses .In this context,it is essential to understang the place of spouses in OHADA law particulary as regards the rights and duties of joint and personal property in their economic activities,by higblighting the main aspects of the subject.

Mode alternatif de règlement des conflits, la transaction s’est introduite dans le droit pénal camerounais. Or, cette discipline est le lieu où s’exerce la violence légitime de l’Etat. La présence de la transaction en son sein suscite des interrogations, qu’il nous est apparu pertinent d’apprécier ce rapprochement. A l’analyse, il s’avère que face à l’engorgement des juridictions et le souci de lutter contre le détournement des deniers publics, la transaction se présente comme un moyen efficace. Aussi, dans une démarche processuelle où la décision imposée est de plus en plus mal ressentie par les justiciables, la transaction se pare de la tunique de la légitimité en aménageant un cadre dans lequel la décision trouve sa source entre une offre et une acceptation. Seulement, le consentement est problématique en cette matière. Pour s’assurer qu’il a été donné de manière libre et éclairé, la présence d’un avocat aux côtés du mis en cause doit être impérative. C’est en cela, qu’à travers la transaction, le droit pénal camerounais peut offrir une justice de qualité.

This article examines corporate governance in Africa and its significance for corporate repurposing. It relies on the framework of the Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), which unites seventeen African states under one corporate law jurisdiction while exploring how the interpretation and practice of this legal system can be integrated with or influenced by national sectoral laws and cultural norms. The workings of these different legal sources denote the case for heterodox pluralism of corporate purpose, whereby corporate membership is not tethered to shareholding only, but the workforce and neighbouring too and corporate legitimacy is not merely a function of legal arrangements but equally derives from broader society. The governance of corporations in Africa must correspond to such imperatives to ensure that the prevailing shareholder primacy norm does not continue its unencumbered de facto reign and reduce African stakeholderism to comparative impotence and mere scholarly exercise.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a watchdog established to counter the abuse of the financial system by criminals for money laundering, the financing acts of terrorists and proliferation financing. For the FATF to achieve its mandate, it came up with a set of global standards in the form of Recommendations. The Recommendations seek to mitigate the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing and to assess whether FATF member countries are taking effective action to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. South Africa is a member of the FATF and therefore, is obliged to comply with the standards set to combat money laundering and terrorist financing and proliferation. The FATF uses assessments done through peer mutual evaluations. In other words, FATF members assess one another’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) regulatory frameworks for compliance with FATF’s standards. Following the FATF's assessment in the years 2003, 2009 and 2018, South Africa’s AML/CTF regulatory framework was found to be weak leading to greylisting in 2023. The greylisting of South Africa follows the findings of strategic deficiencies in the country’s implementation of the FATF AML/CFT standards. Greylisting by the FATF carries various economic and reputational implications for South Africa such as increased scrutiny from international partners resulting in increased compliance costs for financial institutions, an estimated reduction in South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) and a decrease in foreign direct investment (FDI). Since the greylisting, South Africa has embarked on a legislative and regulatory journey to address the shortcomings with a view to be taken off the greylist. This dissertation provides a detailed analysis of the FATF standards, evaluates South Africa's legislative and institutional responses in the form of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act 121 of 1998, Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001 and the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act 33 of 2004, and assess their effectiveness in addressing the identified deficiencies. Recommendations are suggested to assist in fortifying South Africa’s AML/CTF regulatory framework.

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues have gained prominence in recent years. Companies have come to understand their role in the global economy and that their decisions cannot be based solely on profits. They are now required to have regard for the environment in which they operate, to be mindful of the social factors that affect their employees, customers and the community at large, and to ensure that their corporate governance complies with the standards set out in the Companies Act 71 of 2008 and the various King Reports. While ESG has become a buzz word in the corporate world, there is still much uncertainty among stakeholders about what they are required to do and what the reporting requirements, if any, are. Its implementation in South Africa is still in its infancy and there is much uncertainty about what ESG monitoring and compliance truly entail. A perfect illustration of this is the fact that the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) only published ESG disclosure guidelines for the first time in 2022. This means that until the guidelines were published, hundreds of companies in South Africa had been wondering aimlessly in the dark when it comes to ESG issues. To make matters worse, while environmental issues and corporate governance issues have received significant attention from scholars and legislators in South Africa alike, the "S" in ESG has received little attention. It is often treated as the undesirable stepchild that everyone conveniently forgets is part of the ESG family. The purpose of this study is to highlight the gaps in the existing ESG regulatory framework, which leads to gaps in the understanding and monitoring of the implementation of the social indicators of ESG. The study aims to firstly determine whether companies in South Africa have a proper understanding of the social framework of ESG and whether the current legal and/or regulatory framework in South Africa offers sufficient guidance to n organisations to ensure that they comply with and fully implement the social guidelines of the ESG framework.

L'Intelligence Artificielle transforme profondément la société, notamment à travers la mise en place progressive des véhicules autonomes. Cependant, cette évolution technologique introduit de nouveaux défis juridiques, en particulier en matière de responsabilité pénale. En cas d'infraction impliquant un véhicule à délégation de conduite, la responsabilité incombe-t-elle au conducteur, au constructeur, au programmeur ou au système lui-même ? Cette problématique invite à repenser les concepts de responsabilité et d'imputabilité en droit pénal. Il s'agit d'examiner comment adapter le droit pénal actuel aux technologies autonomes, notamment en élaborant une théorie de la responsabilité et en analysant l'attribution des fautes humaines dans des situations de négligence ou d'imprudence. Enfin, l'essor de l'Intelligence Artificielle soulève la question de la reconnaissance d'une personnalité juridique pour ces technologies, rendant nécessaire une réforme légale afin de mieux encadrer les responsabilités des véhicules autonomes et de leurs concepteurs. Artificial Intelligence is profoundly transforming society, in particular through the gradual implementation of autonomous vehicles. However, this technological evolution introduces new legal challenges, particularly in the area of criminal liability. In the event of an offence involving a delegated driving vehicle, does the responsibility lie with the driver, the manufacturer, the programmer, or the system itself? This issue invites us to rethink the concepts of responsibility and imputability in criminal law. The aim is to examine how current criminal law can be adapted to autonomous technologies, in particular by developing a theory of liability and analysing the attribution of human fault in situations of negligence or recklessness. Finally, the rise of Artificial Intelligence raises the question of the recognition of a legal personality for these technologies, making a legal reform necessary in order to better regulate the responsibilities of autonomous vehicles and their designers.

In an era where technology is rapidly transforming the legal landscape, Transforming Arbitration explores how innovations like AI, blockchain, the Metaverse, and Web3 are reshaping arbitration as a key form of dispute resolution. The book features insights from leading academics, practitioners, and policymakers, offering a comprehensive look at how these advancements are influencing our conceptual, substantive and procedural understandings of many parts of this field. Each chapter examines the challenges and opportunities presented by these technologies, raising important questions about the compatibility of traditional arbitration processes with digital innovations. As the legal field adapts to developments like cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and 'virtual' disputes, this book provides valuable guidance on the future implications for arbitration. By questioning established norms and advocating for fresh approaches, Transforming Arbitration is a vital resource for legal professionals and scholars committed to evolving with the times. Combining theoretical exploration with practical recommendations, this collaborative volume equips the legal community with the tools to navigate the complexities of our digital age with confidence and foresight.

The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the impact of the Basel Accords on small indigenous banks in developing countries, with particular concentration on small Zambian banks. The problem statement intends to investigate whether implementing the three Basel Accords is conducive to the growth of small banks in Zambia. The study further aims to determine whether the present approach to legal regulation of small banks in Zambia is appropriate. The methodology is based on desk-bound research and examination of both primary sources and secondary sources of material such as books, journals, and relevant articles. The study is impacted by the dearth of secondary research work and the difficulty of getting information from sources like the Zambian central bank and other information centres. While Basel I and II seem to have stabilised the Zambian financial sector, the Basel III Accord appears to have impacted negatively on many small banks to the extent that they have been forced into merger and acquisition arrangements with larger foreign banks to fund their undercapitalised positions to survive. It also emerges that the Zambian financial system is strongly linked to the international global economy; regionalisation with organisations like SADC and COMESA being the first stages in the process. This situation is likely to introduce increased instability in the Zambian financial sector by making banks more vulnerable to the vagaries of the international financial markets. It is thus recommended that the Zambian central bank should be more proactive in lobbying for better conditions for small banks from the Basel Committee for Banking Supervision and other international financial regulatory bodies; it should also avoid “cutting and pasting” rules from other jurisdictions to avoid possible distortions in the banking sector. It should also encourage further development of primary and secondary markets in low-cost paper and provide small banks with long-term, low-interest loans to support their growth. The Bank of Zambia, the Zambian central bank, should consider establishing a separate Act financial services Act for small banks to better regulate them. The central bank should also seek out non-Basel Accord solutions for small banks including re-examining the positive aspects of the infant-industry argument. Lastly, it should introduce a formal system for classifying banks in Zambia. At the international level, it is suggested that the global standard-setting bodies should undergo radical reforms to ensure that they are in tandem with the problems that banks in developing countries face as well as allow them to have a say in global standard setting. It is recommended that global standard-setting bodies apply simpler rules for smaller banks. The impact of the Basel Accords on small indigenous banks in developing countries and Zambia, in particular, is important because of the role that small banks play in developing economies in growing small and medium-sized businesses that are often ignored by large foreign banks. It is also important that small banks are allowed to grow into large and medium-sized banks to effectively compete against foreign multinational banks. Institutions based on neoliberal ideals appear to only serve Western businesses’ interests despite their call for all countries to create a level playing field. Due to the dearth of empirical research, there are several gaps in the work that may provide opportunities for further research in this important area of the law.

The ongoing ISDS reform, under UNCITRAL Working Group III with a substantial input from the EU, has recently proposed for the establishment of a Multilateral Investment Court (MIC) with an appellate mechanism. Simultaneously, expedited arbitration procedures have gathered significant academic interest in the recent decades. While extensive literature exists on both the MIC development and expedited procedures, their intersection remains relatively unexplored. This dissertation bridges this research gap by analyzing how the best practices from different expedited procedures and EU treaties could be used to establish expedited MIC procedures. Adopting a doctrinal methodology, the research identifies the prominent models and trends in different expedited procedures, accesses their compatibility with the objectives of MIC, and finally proposes a suitable model to attain (cost and time) efficiency and consistency both for the first-tier and appellate proceedings in MIC. By doing so, the study contributes some recommendations for the development of expedited MIC procedures.