Bibliographie sélective OHADA

ENGLISH SUMMARY: Banks are one of the most important elements in the economic cycle of modem society. As money replaced bartering banks have gradually moved into the pivotal point of the relations between participants in the economic cycle. No project can be realized without money today. On the one hand, there are the investors who, irrespective of the amount, entrust their assets to the banks. On the other hand, there are those whose financial needs require the granting of some form of credit. Banks operating in these contexts clearly bear important responsibilities towards the different parties. A third party, the state, is also interested in a well-functioning banking establishment. Economic stability, without which there can be no political stability, cannot otherwise be ensured. The state is accordingly keenly interested in maintaining the operability of this system. To this end, various laws are made in the respective countries aimed at supervising the banking industry. This work deals with some of the legislation relating to bank supervision in the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of South Africa. In the various chapters certain aspects of bank supervision in the two countries are identified, juxtaposed and compared. The reasons for any differences are sought, discussed and where possible explained. From a historical point of view, the two countries developed differently. Nevertheless, the need to regulate this sector through legislative means arose at an early stage in both. Unfortunately, the catalyst for legislative development was mostly some or other financial crisis. Any measures for supervising banks must, to be binding, be constitutional. In this regard much must still be done in South Africa due to the fact that the New Constitution has only been in force since 1996. Thus certain regulations stemming from the Banks Act 90 of 1994 need to be reconsidered in the light of the constitution. Bank supervisory activity is performed by a national institution in both countries. Germany avails itself of an independent authority. However, in South Africa it is one of the tasks of the central bank which has established a specific office for this purpose. Legal and natural persons alike are subject to such supervision. Diverse other government institutions provide support for such supervisory work in both countries. The scope of banking supervision, that is the persons and transactions affected, is broad and also finely meshed. Both systems list a number of banking transactions that are subject to their supervision. This affects all domestic banks and all foreign banks that are domestically active. Access to the banking business is only permitted in both countries after an appropriate license has been granted. The license can be conditional. Moreover, both systems make provision for the revocation of the license in appropriate circumstances. The conducting of banking business without the necessary permission is forbidden in both countries under the threat of legal punishment. It is well recognized in modem society that legal subjects should be protected against the decisions of those who wield state power. The possible remedies of those affected by the decisions of the public authorities responsible for banking supervision in the different countries are investigated in conclusion.

Ce travail traite du pluralisme juridique en matière de successions foncières et des conflits de lois et de juridictions qu'il engendre au plan interne en Afrique noire, notamment au Bénin. Cette question, qui, dans un pays de droit officiellement uniformise, serait sans grand intérêt, devient particulièrement intéressante dans un contexte de dualité des statuts civils et réels. En effet tous les individus ne sont pas soumis au même statut personnel : certains sont soumis au statut moderne, d'autres au statut traditionnel. Le droit des successions est régi par deux systèmes successoraux avec des concepts et des règles parfois opposés. De même, le système foncier est dualiste : au système foncier traditionnel domine par la propriéte collective lignagère s'oppose le système moderne fonde sur l'appropriation (au sens du code civil) individuelle. En effet, comme au plan international, l'existence de plusieurs ordres juridiques d'application simultanée engendre également au plan interne des conflits de lois interpersonnels. C'est cette situation complexe qui fait des successions foncières un sujet particulièrement interessant. La question se pose de savoir si, dans l'ordre juridique traditionnel, la terre peut être transmise par succession. Puis, quelle est la loi applicable à la succession, notamment en cas de successions mixtes ? L'absence de règles de solutions claires et précises chez le législateur, les méandres de la jurisprudence et les controverses doctrinales rendent toute réponse précise peu aisée. C'est à ce problème que le présent travail, à l'analyse de la législation, de la jurisprudence et de la doctrine ainsi qu'au vu des résultats de recherches sur le terrain, tente de dégager certaines solutions pouvant servir de base à une réforme nécessaire.

La Thèse portant sur l’ordre public économique a pour objet d’appréhender l’un des concepts juridiques les plus significatifs et les plus aptes à assurer le développement économique et social d’un pays sous-développé comme le Sénégal : il s’agit, en l’occurrence, du droit économique qui est une donnée essentielle de toutes les politiques économiques actuelles. Pour ce faire, l’étude passe en revue la synthèse des différents ordres publics dans diverses matières juridiques pour aboutir subséquemment à la problématique suivante : l’ordre public économique serait-il la résultante de l’ensemble de ces différents ordres publics ou a-t-il une définition et une finalité propres ? Dans la perspective d’une réponse à la problématique posée, l’axe principal de nos réflexions tient compte de l’économie et du droit économique. Ainsi, si l’économie repose toujours sur une politique, il s’ajoute que ce sont les options politiques qui lui impriment son caractère. On en déduit que ces orientations politiques seront tantôt la direction, tantôt la protection. Ces deux préoccupations pouvant être aussi distinctes qu’intimement liées. Cette idée directrice a sous-tendu le fil conducteur de nos réflexions pour examiner l’accomplissement de cette double fonction de l’ordre public économique dans un droit qui cherche à promouvoir le développement économique et social. Enfin, la réponse majeure apportée à la problématique posée est que la synthèse des résultats des travaux révéleront positivement que la distinction entre l’ordre public de protection et l’ordre public de direction au sein de l’ordre public économique constitue effectivement un objet scientifique d’étude et de réflexion. À cet égard, la réalisation d’un tel résultat a été rendue possible grâce à la prise en compte de la double fonction de direction et de protection située dans le contexte d’un pays en développement, comme le Sénégal dont la législation économique actuelle s’inspire d’un libéralisme qui n’est pas sans danger pour les acteurs économiques nationaux et les consommateurs.

Defence date: 26 October 1998

The Law of International Maritime Boundaries is characterized by an evolution that can be noticed at many levels. These levels include the application of equitable principles, the criteria for delimitation, the basis of title, the techniques, the methods and the applicable law. This legal evolution, which is deep-rooted in a case by case approach has not always led to greater predictability and consistency of the judicial and arbitral decisions. One should keep in mind the fact that each case is a unicum. From the 1969 pioneer North Continental Shelf Case to recent decisions, the position of the I.C.J. is well-established: there is not one method of delimitation which is predetermined or privileged, which takes priority or which is of mandatory application. The ultimate goal consists in drawing an equitable maritime boundary between coastal States. In Jan Mayen Case (Denmark/ Norway Case 1993), the I.C.J. made two major developments by considering in one hand the equidistance provision first codified at article 6 of Geneva Convention on the Continental Shelf as a provisional method of delimitation. On the other hand, the Court gave notable effect to socio-economic factors which, prior to that case, had been constantly dismissed because of their subjectivity, variability and momentary nature (Tunisia/ Libya Case 1982). Regarding the basis of the title, progress from natural prolongation as the traditional basis of the title to 200 miles distance from the shoreline as the new basis of the title (Libya/ Malta Case 1985) should be noted. As for the application of equitable principles, one can say that they are progressively losing their variability. For the judge, in fact, equitable principles must be of an objective nature based mainly on coastal geography in order to be of general application. With regard to applicable law issues, besides the 1958 Geneva Convention, States now have recourse to the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea, States practice, jurisprudence, and rules of customary international law. In respect of that law which is evolving with its uncertainties, we have tried to lay stress on the contributions of African States to its development. We wanted to verify to what extent those States have played a significant part in the progressive development of the Law of the Sea in general and particularly with regard the law of maritime boundary delimitation. We have emphasized in the first part of our analysis, the evolution of the law of maritime boundaries. In the second part, we have analysed in two steps African contributions. We have concluded that African Coastal States should, as much as possible and in line with the trend to peaceful cooperation at sea in Africa, avoid resolving disputes through litigation. After having defined their maritime priorities, policies and strategies, States should use diplomatic negotiations to settle their maritime boundary disputes. They can also, as a supplementary approach, set up Joint Development Zones or provide for Joint Exploitation of their marine resources as an interim approach to disputes resolution. We have analyzed the legal implications of such regimes in the prospective case between Ivory Coast and Ghana. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)