Bibliographie sélective OHADA

Entré en vigueur le 15 mai 2011, l’AUS a réformé l’exécution de l’hypothèque en consacrant l’attribution judiciaire ou conventionnelle du bien hypothéqué. Ces nouvelles voies de réalisation de l’hypothèque sont offertes au choix du créancier hypothécaire en même temps que la saisie immobilière. Ce sont des mécanismes apparemment simples et rapides qui devraient susciter la confiance des investisseurs en rendant l’hypothèque plus attractive. Le cadre libéral et les règles de mise en œuvre des modes de réalisation de l’hypothèque tendent à cette fin. Néanmoins, cette réforme soulève des questions de fond et d’ordre technique qui offrent d’intéressantes perspectives de réflexion.

This essay examines the relationship between the proposal for a Common European Sales Law and the Convention on the International Sale of Goods in B2B transactions and its future outcome on the law applicable to international commercial transactions: friends or foes? In order to do so, the analysis is comprised of six elements. The first section asks what threat the legal relationship between the two instruments poses. The second section evaluates how and to which extent business behaviour plays a role in the reliance on optional instruments. The next section inspects the level of achievement of the CISG from a diplomatic, legal and business perspective. Subsequently, the consequences of the European instrument on the legal environment are explored. Next, a series of examples illustrate whether the relationship between the two instruments is one of competition or of cooperation. Lastly, the future prospects for both instruments are looked at. In the end of this research, it is submitted that the CISG will enhance the chances of success of the CESL in the long term even though it is likely to affect its popularity for commercial transactions in the short term. Reversely, the CESL will pose a threat to the CISG in the beginning but it will progressively encourage the modernisation of international trade law instruments.

Unifying or harmonizing the laws of different countries means replacing, to respective degrees, the existing national laws with common rules.1 The merits of law unification or harmonization may seem to be obvious. They have been repeatedly described. Law diversity is an obstacle to trade between countries. Engaging in a commercial operation with a partner of another legal system immediately raises the question of which law will govern the relationship, with the consequence that, for one of the parties, the contract will be subject to unfamiliar rules (perhaps even for both parties if the law of a third party is determined to be applicable).

Les créances publiques dues par l’Etat et les autres personnes de droit public sont irrécouvrables du fait des règles d’immunité d’exécution prévues par l’Acte uniforme de l’Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires (OHADA), et cette situation accroît les difficultés de trésorerie des petites et moyennes entreprises et réduit leurs capacités financières de faire face, à leur tour, au remboursement de leurs dettes, particulièrement les avances bancaires. Les banques, pourvoyeuses de crédit, relèvent de nombreuses incohérences et insuffisances dans les dispositions de l’Acte uniforme et éprouvent du mal à recouvrer leurs créances envers des emprunteurs indélicats qu’elles ont, elles-mêmes, du mal à détecter à l’avance. Les acteurs du monde judiciaire (magistrats, avocats, huissiers de justice) reconnaissent, eux-mêmes, la complexité et les insuffisances des textes en vigueur et souhaitent une réforme en vue d’une meilleure adaptation des textes aux réalités du système judiciaire. En effet, les procédures simplifiées de recouvrement instituées par l’Acte uniforme sur les procédures simplifiées de recouvrement des créances et les voies d’exécution de l’Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires (OHADA) (1998) apparaissent, dans leur application, plus favorables aux débiteurs, enclins à user (abuser) des demandes de nullités des procédures engagées par les créanciers et à profiter des lenteurs et dysfonctionnements inhérents au système judiciaire et des contraintes normatives inhérentes aux voies d’exécution, notamment les saisies. Aussi, la présente étude conduite par le Centre de Recherche et de Documentation de l’Ecole Régionale Supérieure de la Magistrature (ERSUMA), porte-t-elle sur les difficultés de recouvrement des créances des entreprises dans les pays de la zone de l’Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest-Africaine (UEMOA) (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Sénégal). L’étude passe en revue les diverses perceptions des établissements financiers, des entreprises et des différents acteurs du monde judiciaire sur les causes des difficultés de recouvrement et formule des recommandations sur les mesures de prévention et les textes à revoir dans une réforme devenue urgente.

La présente étude entend faire le point sur la place des codes d’éthique dans un contexte de positivisme juridique. Elle aboutit au constat que les codes d’éthique constituent une technique d’élaboration des normes dans plusieurs disciplines du droit privé, notamment en droit des sociétés commerciales. Leur portée est pourtant discutée, et cela pour deux raisons au moins. Tout d’abord, les codes d’éthique sécrètent un droit mou ou soft law à caractère facultatif et reposant sur le volontariat. Ensuite, leur méconnaissance est difficilement sanctionnée par les juges parce que ne constituant pas des prescriptions du droit positif. Ces principaux facteurs limitent leur effectivité. Pour autant, il est possible d’inverser cette tendance. Pour ce faire, les milieux professionnels devraient jouer un grand rôle en admettant d’assumer leurs obligations auprès des divers tiers intéressés. Par la suite, il revient aux juges de jouer un rôle de gardien des ordres juridiques a-étatiques en les intégrant dans le système juridique sous forme de normes qualitatives soumises à l’appréciation de ses destinataires. Ce faisant, les codes d’éthique, expression de la démarche Responsabilité Sociale de l’Entreprise, sont susceptibles de quitter le champ de l’extra-juridique pour devenir un formidable exemple de création du droit dans les systèmes juridiques français et de l’OHADA.

The evidence of developments in the harmonization of international business laws shows that Africa is lagging seriously behind. There are still some skeptical voices about the need for and the value of harmonization of international business laws, but such voices are now in a minority. The aim of this paper is to assess the prospects for harmonizing international business laws in Africa. The main contention is that the debate today in Africa is not whether or not there should be harmonization of international business laws, but how this should be done. The paper reviews the imperatives for harmonization and the options that exist and then focuses on the present approach to harmonizing business laws in Africa under the auspices of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Laws in Africa, better known under its French acronym, OHADA. Based on the critical review of the weaknesses and strengths of the OHADA regulatory framework, the paper suggests ways in which the agenda to develop a harmonized and modern set of business laws in Africa can be achieved.

A major cause of political and constitutional instability in post-independence Africa was the ease with which political leaders subverted constitutionalism by arbitrarily changing constitutions to suit their political agendas. During the constitutional reforms of the 1990s many provisions were introduced in most African constitutions aimed at limiting the ability of governments to abusively change constitutions. Because of the critical importance of controlling the process of constitutional change to entrenching constitutionalism, this paper attempts to critically examine and analyze some of the different control devices that have been introduced. The objective is to see to what extent they may help not only to promote constitutionalism but also enhance constitutional durability and stability. The first part considers why it is important for constitutional designers to include special procedures to regulate and control the constitutional amendment process. The second part examines the different amendment patterns in a number of selected African countries. The third part considers the practical implications of the various control devices in terms of their actual and potential impact on the nurturing and growth of constitutionalism on the continent. The paper concludes that although there has been some progress, more changes still need to be introduced to check the problem of arbitrary constitutional change in Africa.

A few years ago, African contribution of the world trade was only around 2%. The investors, except those who are exploiting natural resources, never want to dare dispensing their fund in Africa. The reason of this situation was very simple. The majority of investors denounce the juridical insecurity and also the political preponderance across the African continent. With human and natural resources abundant, Africa is regarded as a continent equipped with a great potential of development. The years of independences in Africa saw being born in many States, of the organizations trying to solve these difficulties and to reinforce their capacities by the constitution of international organizations acting in all the fields. But it is only in the year 1990; some organizations appeared in the continent and knew of real rise thanks to the liberal and democratic economic policies. This article wishes to present an assessment of seventeen years implementation of the African Harmonization of Business Law Treaty of 1993. Firstly, it will describe the system from an institutional point of view and hence from a normative point of view. Secondly, during the course of this essay, there will be a focus on analysis of OHADA’s laws, its system and its potential impact. In addition, the article will concentrate on OHADA’s appropriateness in the business sector and necessary guarantees it must offer for a successful investment partnership with foreign investment.

يمكن تعريف النص الجنائي المجرم، بأنه القاعدة القانونية التي تصف جريمة ما وتحدد عقوبتها، بحيث لا تحتوي سطورها إلا على ذالك الوصف. وهذا التحديد يعنى أنها تعبر في شق الحكم منها عن التفاصيل المادية للسلوك المحظور بمقتضاه، وتعني في شق الجزاء على العقاب المستحق عن هذا السلوك إذا ما صار أمرا واقعا. ويكون ذالك برسم السلوك الإجرامي وذكر المجني عليه المباشر في هذا السلوك، والذي يكون إما شخصا طبيعيا، أو معنويا. وعلى هذا الأساس، فان تحديد النموذج القانوني للجريمة يكون بتحديد القانون لعناصر التجريم، ففعل الجاني لا يعتبر جريمة إلا إذا توفرت فيها المكونات التي يتطلبها هذا النموذج. ومن هنا يمكن أن نشير كذلك إلى أن مفهوم النص التجريمي يتسع ليشمل كافة النصوص القانونية التي تجرم الشخص المعنوي سواء كانت بين دفتي قانون العقوبات، أو بمقتضى القوانين الخاصة. وسواء كانت هذه النصوص تتعلق بجرائم عمدية، أو تحدد الإطار العام لجرائم غير عمدية، أو ما يعرف بجرائم الإهمال

Due to the expansion of business transaction across the globe, the private sector demands an adequate legal framework that is sufficiently clear, modern, predictable and transparent to permit investment with a sense of security. The Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (Organisation pour l’harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires) is generally known by its French acronym OHADA. As long-standing idea, the foundation of the OHADA Treaty was first laid during a meeting of finance ministers of the members of the franc CFA1 area held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in April 1991. A group of experts, led by Senegalese Justice Keba Mbaye, was appointed to conduct a feasibility study on a form of legal collaboration designed to promote economic integration and attract investments.2 Identifying low investment as a major obstacle to economic growth, Keba Mbaye presented his report to the French-speaking African summit in Libreville, Gabon, in October 1992, recommending the creation of a supranational organization comprising the entire franc area. The recommendation was adopted and a steering committee of three experts were appointed and tasked with drafting an international instrument as well as identifying the areas of law to be harmonized. The OHADA was established through the treaty of Port Louis in Mauritius on 17th October, 19933 The treaty is open to any Member State of the Organization of African Unity (AU) as well as any other non-member of the AU invited to join with the common agreement of all the Member States.4 The OHADA has progressively become the common business law in anglophone and francophone African countries, taking the best from the civil law and the common law systems.5 The OHADA provides its Member States with 1) a single, modern, flexible and reliable business law adapted to each country’s economy; 2) arbitration as an appropriate and trustworthy way to settle disputes; and 3) an opportunity for training judges and judicial staff and ensuring their specialisation. In May 2003, the uniform OHADA business law came into force in the sub-Saharan African States of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Chad, Togo and later the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The OHADA Treaty secures a legal framework for the conduct of business in Africa.6 Pursuant to Article 53 of the OHADA Treaty, any member State of the African Union may become a member, if it wishes to do so.7 Many countries are currently giving active consideration to joining the OHADA common system of business law.8 Most of the countries have a French colonial heritage, with the exception of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Belgian colony), Guinea-Bissau (former Portuguese colony), Equatorial Guinea (former Spanish colony), and Togo and Cameroon (formerly under partly British and partly French colonial rule). French is also an official language in most of the countries and many OHADA sources are only available in French. 9 It is interesting to know that the Council of Ministers of the OHADA organisation which is the legislative organ of the organisation have adopted the following uniform business law: the general commercial laws, corporate laws and rules concerning different types of joint ventures, laws concerning secured transactions, debt recovery and enforcement laws, bankruptcy laws, arbitration law, accountability law, and law regulating contract for the carriage of goods by roads.10 The OHADA treaty established the Common Court of Justice and Arbitration (CCJA) which is a supranational11 judicial institution based in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.12 2.

L’ensemble des disciplines du droit connaît le phénomène des situations de fait. Ces dernières constituent des cas de malformation des institutions promues et protégées par le droit. En réaction, celui-ci les répugne souvent en les privant d’effets. Mais la rencontre des situations de fait avec le droit des sociétés vient bouleverser cet état de choses. En effet, non seulement elles y prolifèrent, mais encore elles ne sont pas systématiquement combattues comme dans les autres disciplines juridiques. Cette étude ambitionne donc de montrer comment le droit des sociétés, en s’appuyant sur les situations de fait, atteint son efficacité. La problématique est alors orientée vers le point de savoir qu’elle est la place qu’occupent les situations de fait dans le droit des sociétés. La réponse en est donnée à travers le constat de leur acceptation par la discipline et à travers l’examen de leur contribution à l’efficacité de cette dernière.