Bibliographie sélective OHADA

The practice of foreign agro-investment (FAI) for the production of food crops and biofuel crops has been a recent phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries. In fact, the present era of climate change has caused foreign countries to acquire vast tracts of land - often through multinational corporations - in order to propagate biofuel or expand their home industries abroad. Practices of FAI have resulted in a form of land grabbing, as local communities are often evicted from their land without their consent. FAI activities are reported to have considerable impact on people in areas where they occur, which range from environmental to social and economic impacts. There is compelling evidence that FAI land deals are not transparent and inclusive, which raises pertinent concerns with respect to participatory rights, access to information, the compatibility of property rights, environmental protection and the protection of the rights and interests of local communities generally, among other issues. The lack of respect for and protection of local communities’ rights and interests during FAI land deals and activities form the crux of this study. In this light, the overall aim of this thesis is to investigate and ascertain how the procedural aspects of a rights-based approach (RBA) could be used to provide adequate protection to local communities’ rights and interests during FAI activities in Cameroon, Uganda and South Africa. The study is premised on the notion of a RBA to FAI governance and captures the procedural aspects of the right to access to information, public participation and the right to access to justice in international, regional, sub-regional and national human rights legal regimes. It is argued that because these rights have the potential to significantly contribute towards the protection of the rights and interests of people that are adversely affected by development activities, their incorporation remains useful and relevant in the FAI context. It is further claimed that the implementation of the procedural RBA in FAI land deals could strengthen the ability and capacity of the state to increase opportunities for more meaningful dialogue with local communities, while concomitantly helping the state to fulfil its international and national obligations as a duty-bearer to respect, protect and fulfil the rights and interests of its people. In addition, procedural rights encompass elements of good governance and democracy and could be used as a necessary and vital tool to prevent a government’s exercise of arbitrary power generally and in the context of development activities. This is predicated on the belief that procedural rights serve inter alia to strengthen democratic structures and processes and to curb corruption and the mismanagement of national resources, and ultimately to promote sustainable development. In this study, it is argued that a RBA generally and its procedural aspects specifically could play an important role in setting the standards and defining the processes that are appropriate to repudiate the unacceptable impacts of FAI and simultaneously address distributive concerns with the hope of promoting and ensuring more responsible and sustainable FAI. Conversely, the absence of such a normative baseline suggests that large-scale land transfer under the guise of FAI practices would endlessly levy an unacceptable toll on the fundamental rights of the vulnerable host population. The first step in this thesis is to analysis the theoretical concepts of governance and good governance in order to establish the eventual objective of what FAI governance and good FAI governance should entail. A further component of the theoretical analysis includes an analysis of a RBA and a RBA to FAI governance. These components are investigated in order to determine a possible solution to the impacts of FAI activities from a rights-based perspective. Second, the thesis investigates and analyses the procedural aspects of a RBA espoused in international, regional and sub-regional legal regimes. It distils generic characteristics and minimum requirements of the RBA for good FAI governance to be used as benchmarks in the context of project development-related activities, including FAI. As benchmarks, the international, regional and sub-regional legal regimes provide minimum criteria to which the legal frameworks of countries must adhere to and conform with. This part also examines the procedural RBA frameworks in Cameroon, Uganda and South Africa and critically evaluates the legal frameworks in these countries against the distilled generic characteristics and minimum requirements of the RBA in terms of good FAI governance. Third, the thesis concludes with a set of recommendations on the procedural RBA frameworks in Cameroon, Uganda and South Africa. These recommendations are meant to address the current lacunae in these domestic procedural RBA frameworks, and to propose measures designed to enable a situation where the rights and interests of local communities are better protected in the event that FAI land deals are concluded.

The paper examines the impact of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs)on economic growth in the five regions of Africa, as well as identifies their respective drivers of growth. It employs the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) multiple regression analysis to examine the relative impact of Foreign Direct Investments, balance of payments, trade openness, technology and quality of labour force on economic growth in each of the five regions between 1980 and 2012. The study finds that foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) have no significant impact on economic growth in the five regions of Africa. The impact of FDI on growth is positive in Eastern, Middle and Western Africa but negative in Northern and Southern Africa. Similarly, there are differentials in the drivers of growth in the five regions. While trade openness is a negative driver of growth in all regions of Africa except in Northern Africa, both balance of payments and quality of labour force have mixed impacts on economic growth in Africa. In addition, technological progress impacted growth in Middle, Southern Africa and Western Africa but it appears that lack of it retarded growth in Eastern and Northern Africa. The study calls for policy reform frameworks that encourage and boost foreign Direct Investment flows to all regions of Africa, particularly Direct Investments in critical sectors of the economies, as well as check the negative effects of foreign Direct Investments. Furthermore, it recommends that regional economic blocks in Africa should be resuscitated and supported to develop and promote intra-Africa trade and Investments.

Les courants de la mondialisation des marchés, marqués par la libre circulation des capitaux et le phénomène du libre-échange ont favorisé la mise en œuvre de politiques communautaires de relance économique et d’attractivité des territoires. C’est dans cette lancée que des regroupements géographiques à visée économique comme la Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale (CEMAC) sont apparus. Six pays de l’Afrique Centrale dont le Cameroun, le Congo, le Gabon, la Guinée Equatoriale, la République Centrafricaine et le Tchad en sont membres et font l’objet de notre analyse sur l’attractivité économique de l’investissement Direct étranger (IDE) dans cette sous-région. L’IDE est devenu un acteur incontournable du processus de développement, et la zone CEMAC une destination privilégiée pour les investisseurs. Il apparait néanmoins une ambiguïté dans les rapports entre le flux d’IDE, la croissance économique et le développement des pays membres de la CEMAC : le taux sans cesse croissant des flux d’IDE entrants dans la sous-région, n’est malheureusement pas toujours synonyme de croissance économique. Pour comprendre ce paradoxe, l’on procède à une analyse des instruments encadrement de l’IDE dans la sous-région CEMAC. Il en ressort que, pour un rendement optimal de ces dispositifs et la garantie d’une croissance économique à long terme dans ces États, il est nécessaire d’associer les politiques actuelles d’attractivité économique des IDE, à une diversification des domaines économiques exploitables , mais aussi adapter les standards internationaux aux spécificités socioculturelles mais aussi économiques de la sous-région CEMAC.

This study’s aim is to assess the trends and the macroeconomic determinants of FDI and to estimate its impact on economic growth, using West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and its member countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo) as a case study. In order to achieve the objectives of the current study, the panel cointegration method is employed for the period that expands from 1980 to 2010. This method is constituted of three steps: first, running the panel unit root tests; secondly, run the panel cointegration tests to establish a long-run relationship between the included variables; and thirdly, to run the two models of this study. All this is supplemented by Granger causality test in order to determine the direction of causality between the two variables of FDI and economic growth in WAEMU and its member countries. The findings show that: (i) the variables market size, trade openness, human capital, infrastructure development, financial development, macroeconomic stability, exchange rate and political stability are significant determinants of FDI in WAEMU and in its member countries; (ii) not all the variables affect the same way FDI inflows in WAEMU and in each one of the WAEMU member countries; (iii) there is a positive relationship between FDI and economic growth which implies that FDI stimulates economic growth in WAEMU and its member countries; (iv) this study finds a causality relationship between FDI and economic growth, which runs from FDI to economic growth not from economic growth to FDI: meaning there is a unidirectional linkage between FDI and economic growth in WAEMU; (v) the study also finds that at cross-sectional level, FDI only causes economic growth, not the opposite: this implies that there is also a unidirectional linkage between FDI and economic growth in each WAEMU member country and its runs from FDI to economic growth. Therefore, it is important that the enabling environment should always be provided not only in WAEMU but also in its member countries in order to attract more foreign direct investment and further to stimulate the xiv country’s economic growth. Thus, this study recommends the followings, at the local or country level: first, improvement of the image of WAEMU countries. Rapid economic growth could result in an increase in foreign direct investment inflows, not only in WAEMU but in each one of the WAEMU member countries. But, this has to be done with more attention given to conditions (i.e. key variables) such as fair trade policy with abroad, development of infrastructure and financial system, availability of human capital through a sound human training and formation. At regional or WAEMU level, governments should set up policy that guaranties macroeconomic stability and political stability.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays an important role in the world economy and has the potential to contribute towards accelerating the process of economic growth and sustainable development in the least developed countries (LDCs). The paper provides a brief overview of recent trends and patterns in FDI flows to the LDCs, and then takes stock of the policies, programmes and measures pursued by host and home countries and by international organizations to stimulate FDI flows to LDCs and increase their benefits for these countries. It then lays out a number of policy proposals on how flows to LDCs, and the benefits associated with them, can be enhanced. Finally, it outlines some options for international action to strengthen such efforts – proposals and options that are also relevant to other developing countries.

The Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) standard is the most important and, because of its flexible nature and its status as a ‘catch-all’ provision, most controversial investment protection standard in international investment treaties. The standard imposes the most far-reaching obligation of any aspect of such treaties. This thesis’ core contention is that the current investment tribunals’ interpretation of the FET standard prioritises the interests of foreign investors and neglects the perspectives of host developing countries. Therefore there is a pressing need to reconceptualise the interpretation of the FET standard. In service to depicting the perspectives of host developing countries, this thesis advances an understanding of classifications such as ‘developing’ and ‘developed’ that reflects the issues and challenges that these countries face in the investment dispute context, such as their lack of resources, administrative capacity, technology, and infrastructure, as much as the economic and social level of development international organisations generally emphasise in their classifications. It addresses socio-political circumstances such as political instability, social unrest, conflict and its aftermath, social and political transition, and economic crises and their impact on host developing countries in the investment dispute context. Through a detailed study of the approaches they have taken to such issues in their interpretation of the breach of FET standard in disputes involving host developing countries, it shows that current investment tribunals have taken inconsistent and inadequate approaches to the issues host developing countries face. It argues that a reconceptualised interpretation of the FET standard which acknowledges the developmental issues and challenges this thesis has identified would accommodate the needs of the host developing countries while continuing to give reasonable protections to foreign investors and therefore serve the needs of the system as a whole.

This thesis aims to provide an analytical framework to which investor-State arbitral tribunals can refer in cases where international trade law is invoked. The starting point of the present study is the trend in commentary on international trade and investment law, which makes the argument that international trade and investment law should be reconciled due to the clear "convergence" between (some of) their constitutive elements. This convergence argument is not misguided: there are similarities between the underlying principles of global trade and investment and, as such, a better coordination of these principles would be helpful for several reasons. Such reasons include legal certainty, reduction of transaction costs, better coherence in the operation of international agreements that now combine both trade and investment provisions, to name a few. However, no matter how reconcilable or converging the two disciplines may be, their enforcement mechanisms are structurally different and are likely to remain so even if the reforms towards a modernization of the investment dispute settlement (currently discussed at the EU policy level) are eventually implemented in the near future. In light of this last point, it is possible to claim that integration between trade law and investment law will only have limited or even negative effects if the trade and investment adjudicators continue to exercise their functions in an isolated manner, without taking cognizance of (i) the norms contained in the other discipline and (ii) the other adjudicator's scope of authority. Effective convergence of trade and investment entails a two-way process pursuant to which one adjudicator can use (i.e. take into account, refer to, apply, interpret and enforce) the law of the other and vice-versa. The thesis envisages one of the two dimensions of this process, namely the use of trade law by the investment adjudicator. Looking into the details of the convergence argument, the role of investment dispute settlement mechanism and the use of trade norms over the past two decades by litigants and arbitrators, the present study identifies both the legal techniques and obstacles these actors shall apply or go beyond in order to use trade norms in the most appropriate way and, more importantly, benefit from this use.

There is extensive literature on conflict of legal norms and interests in international investment law. The dominant discourse is on the implications of treaty-based investment protection for sovereign regulatory autonomy. Mainstream scholarship critical of the scope and effect of investment treaties has taken the legal status of these treaties for granted. Little systematic attention has been paid to the capacity of states to make investment treaties and the obligations states can or cannot agree to under those treaties in light of their public interest obligations. Yet, this issue is of fundamental importance for three reasons. First, the case for states’ regulatory autonomy arises out of their primary duty to regulate in the public interest. This duty has its legal justification in national constitutions and international law. Second, treaty obligations are founded on the existence of legal norms necessary for the treaty to come into existence and which define the juridical consequences attached to the conclusion of the treaty. These matters are also determined by national constitutions and international law. Third, the limitations inherent in state-specific defences in international investment disputes settlement compel a proactive rethink of the conclusion of investment treaties and how they are interpreted. The question this thesis assesses with reference to Ghana then is: does a state that is legally required to act both under the terms of its constitution and international law in the public interest have the capacity to conclude investment treaties that expressly prevent or abridge the exercise of its public interest regulatory powers, and how should treaties adopted in breach of these obligations be interpreted? To address this question, three areas of public interest regulation that have featured prominently in investment arbitration serve as case studies: the jurisdiction of municipal courts, environmental protection and development policy. Based on the impact and potential limitations of standards of investment protection on these areas, the thesis argues that some treaties are incompatible with the public interest regulation obligations of Ghana under the Constitution and international law. The core proposition of the thesis is that the legal source and public purpose of the State’s powers prevent it from concluding agreements that directly prohibit public interest regulation or indirectly achieve that effect. Accordingly, the thesis proposes that the express and implied limitations on the duty to regulate in the public interest placed on investment treaty making powers of the State must inform the making of investment treaties and their interpretation. By its approach, this thesis establishes a principled basis for reflection on the limits to the State’s capacity to conclude investment treaties and on how they should be interpreted.

The Organisation for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (OHADA) was established for the purpose of restoring legal and judicial security in the region to attract more investment. The OHADA Treaty included certain areas of business law within its ambit but omitted investment law. There are several laws on investment in the region at the national, regional and sub-regional level that regulate the treatment of foreign investments such as CEMAC and UEMOA investment charters. Moreover OHADA states sign BITs to protect foreign investments. The relationship between the different sub regional laws on investment and OHADA is not yet clear but case law suggests that CEMAC and UEMOA courts recognise the supremacy of OHADA law and their lack of competence to hear matters regulated under OHADA. The standards of protection granted by OHADA states in BITs are very high thus taxing on them. This thesis suggests that OHADA states should either qualify these standards of protection or replace them with more specific provisions. The OHADA system of arbitration cannot effectively settle investment disputes arising out of a BIT leaving international arbitration systems such as ICSID as the best alternative to resolve investment disputes arising out of BITs.

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى استعراض تجربة الجزائر في مجال جذب الاستثمار الأجنبي المباشر من خلال الإشارة إلى جهودها المبذولة في سبيل تهيئة المناخ الاستثمار لامتلاكها مجموعة من مؤهلات واتخاذها العديد من مزايا التي تأهلها على استقطابه ، إلا أنها مازالت رغم ذلك تصنف ضمن المراتب الأخيرة من طرف الهيئات الدولية نظرا لوجود عدة عوامل تحد في مجملها من تدفق الاستثمارات الأجنبية إليها، لهذا خلصت هذه الدراسة إلى محاولة استعراض مجموعة من الآليات الكفيلة بتهيئة مناخ الاستثمار في الجزائر وجعله يتمتع بالاستقرار والجاذبية على جميع المستويات، وبناء تصور متكامل لعوامل جذب الاستثمار الاجنبي في الجزائر للفترة 1980-2012 ، لمعرفة أثرها على تدفقات الاستثمار الأجنبي المباشر واقتراح معالجات مناسبة لها بما ينعكس بالإيجاب عليها مستقبلا.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is about economic prosperity and wealth creation of developing economies, (FDI) brings with it capital, technology, it provides a platform for the creation of jobs and links to the world economy which brings development. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development [NEPAD] asserts that to meet its developmental challenges, Africa will have to rely more on foreign direct investment [FDI] than aid. Given the fact, the aid flows to Africa have significantly declined over the years and that the continent has now to compete with other countries for the same resources needed for development. Therefore, [NEPAD] places greater emphases on the importance of foreign direct investment [FDI] as Africa’s new engine of economic growth, particularly in the manufacturing and agricultural sector, as opposed to the oil and gas and other natural resources. However, the contribution firms, and foreign direct investment [FDI] make to the society is determined principally by the investment climate. There are many features of a good investment climate, aside of legal framework, provision of security and maintaining infrastructure, which provide the opportunities and incentives for the investment to flow and flourish and create confidence in the mind of the investors, to invest productively, and they include strong and vibrant contract enforcement. Delays or uncertainties in the enforcement of contractual rights erode the value of property rights and diminish the opportunities and incentives to invest. Therefore, the process of seeking redress through the normal court system is too protracted and unsatisfactory to continue to serve as primary recourse option of executives and potential investors, and this also explain the slow of improvement in FDI in the manufacturing and agricultural sector inflow to Nigeria. There are additional reasons for all these difficulties and hurdles that constitute a clog to an efficient contractual enforcement. The legal system that made judges of regular courts to also handle election petitions and other ad-hoc assignments to the detriment of the regular pending commercial cases before the courts. Secondly, there currently distinct rules for each state of the Federation and there number of civil procedure rules required to be complied with to move cases through the system from filing to judgment enforcement. This has created additional and unnecessary procedures that elongate the process of contract enforcement. Thirdly, despite these enormous powers of the Sheriff and bailiffs in the process of trials and enforcement of contractual judgments, in Nigeria majority of the bailiffs in all our courts including the courts of records are either retired police or military officers with no formal training on their powers and obligations in accordance with the provision of the law.The dissertation mainly recommended the creation of Commercial courts or Commercial divisions throughout the federation to handle contractual and commercial cases; secondly, Secondly, it is recommended for the unification and adoption of a single the civil procedure rules throughout the country. Lastly to institutionalize the training and retraining of sheriffs and court bailiffs on the provisions of the rules as it relates their functions of giving effect to court orders and judgment.These would go a long way in providing an effective and speedy movement of civil cases through the system of trial and subsequent enforcement in our courts, which may further create confidence and improve the investment climate for the inflow of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in to Nigeria.

L'investissement est une notion récente dans la sphère juridique. Voici quelques années, elle n'était encore employée que dans la règlementation relative au contrôle des investissements étrangers. C'est que, si le droit n'ignorait pas l'investissement, il le saisissait presque uniquement à travers d'autres notions, tels l'apport en société ou le mouvement de capital. Depuis lors, le mot a été très largement juridicisé. Pour s'en tenir à deux exemples, on peut ainsi relever que, dans notre ordre interne, l'existence d'un investissement permet une durée contractuelle longue et que, dans l'ordre international, la qualification d'investissement est aujourd'hui une condition de la compétence des tribunaux arbitraux statuant sous l'égide du Cirdi.Cet accès spontané de l'investissement à la juridicité s'est malheureusement accompagné de certaines incohérences. Ainsi, le mot est parfois employé de manière excessivement large, comme en droit des marchés financiers, où il désigne toute opération relative à un instrument financier. De même, en droit des régimes matrimoniaux, ce que la Cour de cassation nomme les « dépenses d'investissement » recouvre en réalité l'ensemble des dépenses immobilières. Parfois, à l'inverse, certaines opérations dont la qualification d'investissement ne fait aucun doute continuent d'être envisagées à travers des notions qui en sont le simple reflet. L'objet de la thèse est donc de rétablir une certaine cohérence dans l'emploi du mot investissement en proposant une définition juridique de la notion et en esquissant certains éléments du régime qui s'y attache.

Since the dawn of democracy South Africa has embarked in a process of dismantling protectionist business and trade policies, and made the country’s stream of commerce one of the preferred globally. The country’s sound competition and trade policies, natural resource endowments, market size and regional influence, attracted foreign businesss and foreign direct invetsment (FDI). Equally the country has been under pressure to protect the domestic industries from injurious competition and business, through sector specific laws, anti-dumping and countervailing duties laws, investment and competition regime. The concern has been the likilelihood of the introduction of trade and competition barriers, and the allienation of FDI. This paper critically examines the impact the country’s antidumping and competition law and practice upon foreign direct investment. Domestic industries have never been shy to file anti-dumping and anti-competition suits against foreign companies, sometimes even when there might be a public outcry. Relevant examples of these suits include the famous Wal-Mart anti-competition case, and recently the Brazilian frozen fowl meat anti-dumping case.

La présente étude propose une analyse juridique des produits structurés (art. 5 LPCC), qui la conduit à une réflexion plus large quant à la protection de l'investisseur en droit suisse, de lege lata mais également au regard de l'avant-projet de loi sur les services financiers. L'étude met tout d'abord en lumière les incohérences et les insuffisances du système juridique actuel. Elle propose une définition nouvelle des produits structurés assurant une cohérence au système. Avec comme fil conducteur et illustration la complexité des produits structurés, la thèse explique et critique le retard de la réglementation suisse en matière de protection des investisseurs, tant s'agissant de la conception juridique de l'investisseur que de la concrétisation des règles de conduite par l'émetteur et les distributeurs. Elle expose et discute les règles et pratiques existantes visant à répondre à certains des enjeux posés. Enfin, la thèse énonce des propositions d'amélioration à ces règles, en grande partie relayées par l'avant-projet de loi sur les services financiers.

Venture capital é espécie de empreendimento que vincula dois agentes econômicos, empreendedor e investidor, visando ao desenvolvimento de uma ideia inovadora para posterior comercialização no mercado. O empreendedor é detentor de conhecimento sobre a ideia e o investidor possui os recursos para desenvolver o projeto. O negócio se diferencia dos demais pelo alto grau de incerteza e risco do empreendimento e requer o uso de tipos contratuais adequados para sua limitação. O projeto se inicia com a etapa de contratação, na qual as partes negociam a divisão de riscos e retorno do negócio, seguindo-se a etapa de monitoramento do desenvolvimento das atividades. Ao final ocorre o desinvestimento, com a saída do investidor e venda do negócio. Do ponto de vista da Economia, utilizamos a Teoria dos Jogos e apresentamos os problemas informacionais, riscos e incertezas do negócio, e os incentivos para organizar a cooperação entre as partes. Do ponto de vista de Finanças, debatemos a decisão de financiamento do negócio e as alternativas para diversificação dos riscos do investimento, isto é, a possibilidade de limitação dos riscos pela adoção de estratégias de contenção, que aumentam o interesse em contratar o negócio. Do ponto de vista do Direito, avaliamos qual a estrutura contratual ideal para organizar esse tipo de empreendimento. Analisamos as principais formas usadas para organização do negócio, em especial as sociedades limitadas e as sociedades anônimas fechadas. Avaliamos o suporte normativo aplicável, com destaque para a possibilidade de limitação dos riscos do projeto pela aplicação das normas de Direito Societário a esses empreendimentos. Os principais riscos aplicáveis são os riscos de contratação do negócio, os riscos de alocação do poder de decisão entre os sócios e os riscos de interrupção prematura do projeto. Devido à natureza e características do negócio de venture capital, concluímos que esse tipo de projeto é mais bem organizado como um contrato plurilateral e que não há tipo contratual ideal para alinhar os interesses. Dos tipos existentes, a sociedade anônima fechada é o mais adequado, mas incapaz de limitar todos os riscos do negócio. A conclusão é confirmada, parcialmente, pelas evidências empíricas apresentadas.

This thesis seeks to determine whether the evolution of international law has allowed for the concept of cultural genocide to be addressed in spite of its non-codification. It firstly provides an assessment of the evolution of the concept of cultural genocide, from a technique to a process of genocide, also known as 'ethnocide'. Acknowledging that the codification of the concept is unlikely in the future, it therefore undertakes a study of the evolution of international law with regard to the main components of the concept, namely genocide, culture and group. The evolution of the legal concept of 'genocide' raises the question of the interpretation of the international definition of genocide, which is enshrined in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, so as to encompass instances of cultural destruction. The state of international and domestic judicial practice illustrates the limits of an evolutionary interpretation. In contrast, international law has evolved considerably in relation to the protection of some groups and their culture, so that customary international law, and especially international human rights law, may be deemed to prohibit group cultural destruction and consequently entail State responsibility. The thesis argues that this evolution could ground the articulation of an international law-based approach to the concept of cultural genocide both by allowing for its criminalisation through the crime against humanity of persecution and by providing tools for a stronger framework of State responsibility, especially in the context of genocide prevention. Furthermore, this approach would give rise to the possibility of further conceptualising reparation for the intended cultural damage. Against this background, the thesis firstly draws conclusions as to the irrelevance of enclosing the debate exclusively at the level of the genocide legal framework and, secondly, as to the relevance of cultural genocide as a 'paralegal concept', an understanding which would drive the interpretation of international legal norms, especially in cases involving indigenous peoples' cultural harm.

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.

<p>This book examines the law, national and/or international, that arbitral tribunals apply on the merits to settle disputes between foreign investors and host states. In light of the freedom that the disputing parties and the arbitrators have when designating the applicable law, and because of the hybrid nature of legal relationship between investors and states, there is significant interplay between the national and the international legal order in investor-state arbitration. The book contains a comprehensive analysis of the relevant jurisprudence, legal instruments, and scholarship surrounding arbitral practice with respect to the application of national law and international law. It investigates the awards in which tribunals referred to consistency between the legal orders, and suggests alternatives to the traditional doctrines of monism and dualism to explain the relationship between the national and the international legal order. The book also addresses the territorialized or internationalized nature of the tribunals; relevant choice-of-law rules and methodologies; and the scope of the arbitration agreement, including the possibility of host states presenting counterclaims in investment treaty arbitration. Ultimately, it argues that in investor–state arbitration, national and international law do not only coexist but may be applied simultaneously; they are also interdependent, each complementing and informing the other both indirectly and directly for a larger common good: enforcement of rights and obligations regardless of their national or international origin.</p>

La relation dialectique qui unit les traités bilatéraux d’investissement et la jurisprudence du Centre International de Règlement des Différends relatifs aux Investissements (CIRDI) a fait émerger un droit international des investissements. La rencontre de ces deux dynamiques a permis de dépasser leur caractère a priori isolé et fragmenté, pour aboutir à un véritable système juridique international, doté d’une structure, d’une logique et de principes propres. En effet, rien ne pouvait laisser envisager une telle évolution, le régime de l’investissement international se fondant sur une multitude de traités bilatéraux et sur une instance arbitrale ne faisant qu’héberger des tribunaux éphémères. Les mouvements de va-et-vient qui unissaient ces deux phénomènes ont permis de lui donner des normes quasi-universelles, mais aussi un véritable juge à la compétence extensive et surtout de lui insuffler l’unité, l’efficacité, la cohérence et la complétude, faisant de plus en plus ressembler le droit international des investissements à un véritable ordre juridique qui, même s’il relève du droit international, lui permet également d’évoluer.