Ethiopia: African Online Library On Law and Governance Launched at the AU in Addis Ababa
The African Union has launched the African Online Library on Law and Governance that will provide an online database that offers legal text and secondary literature on the continents law and governance as well as comparisons to other legal systems and judgement, allafrica.com has reported.
The project, which was initiated by the African Innovation Foundation and implemented by Globethics.net, will be available free of charge as the library aims to make the systems of law existing in various African countries visible, accessible and consolidated.
Speaking during the launch, founder and initiator of the African law library, Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais said the library will help in promoting good governance and thus materialize the vision of a continent without war, famine or poverty and make sure all countries have equal footing in the global economy.
“The African Law Library will give to this effort by promoting good governance practices, while building a bridge between modern law and customary law to overcome colonial law,” he said.
The AU says it believes the library, which was initiated in 2012, and will bring lawyers, the business sector, educators and government together to develop ownership in Africa through multidisciplinary research and interaction on comparative law.
The library will also play a part in helping to strengthen predictability for business in Africa and give African entrepreneurs, start-ups and investors the ability to make quick and informed decisions, driving Africa towards sustainable development.
With Africa under tremendous pressure to face its challenges and meet economic growth–such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) set for 2015. Poignantly aware that innovation is the key driver for development on the continent, the African Innovation Foundation has launched the African Online Library on Law and Governance (the African Law Library), an online database that digitizes and offers access to the different legal texts and secondary literature on African law and governance, as well as a framework for the comparison of various legal systems and judgments.
The library focuses on visibility, access, knowledge, education and the consolidation of the systems of law existing in African countries.
“The AIF believes in the vision of an Africa without war, famine or poverty, which will allow its countries to stand on an equal footing with others in the global economy. The African Law Library will give to this effort by promoting good governance practices, while building a bridge between modern law and customary law to overcome colonial law,” said Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais, AIF founder and initiator of the African Law Library.