The Acting Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Paul Scott Baffoe-Bonnie, has challenged African leaders to confront the root causes of the continent’s economic struggles, declaring that Africa’s poverty stems not only from foreign exploitation but from internal misgovernance and weak political will.

Opening the 2025 Annual Conference of the African Bar Association (AFBA) in Accra on Monday October 20, 2025, Justice Baffoe-Bonnie said the time had come for African nations to reclaim control over their resources and chart a path toward genuine sovereignty and economic justice.

“When we speak of foreign interest in Africa, we confront a vast and complex web of influence and dependence,” he stated.

“It manifests in our governance, our economies, and even in our security arrangements, where foreign powers subtly shape our policies under the guise of cooperation.”

Held under the theme “Foreign Interest in Africa: Exploitation or Investment,” the conference brings together judges, lawyers, government officials, academics and policymakers from across the continent to deliberate on whether foreign involvement in Africa promotes development or perpetuates exploitation. This marks the second time Ghana has hosted the prestigious gathering since 2000.

Justice Baffoe-Bonnie underscored the paradox of a continent rich in resources yet labeled poor, noting that Africa holds 30% of the world’s minerals, 40% of its gold, and 12% of global oil reserves.

“It is not exploitation alone that impoverishes us,” he emphasised.

“It is misgovernance. It is not lack of wealth; it is lack of will.”

He urged African governments to strengthen local participation in extractive industries, reform negotiation systems to prevent lopsided contracts that favor foreign investors, and invest in homegrown knowledge and legal capacity.

“The law is not merely an instrument of order,” he added. “It is the architecture of justice and justice is the foundation of sovereignty.”

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, who also delivered a keynote address, announced that the Ministry of Justice had sponsored 100 young lawyers with US$30,000 to enable their participation in the conference.

Describing Africa as standing “at a historic crossroads,” Dr Ayine urged the continent to “redefine the terms of engagement” in its dealings with foreign investors.

“Too often, the history of foreign investment in Africa is one of imbalance,” he cautioned.

“Contracts written in foreign capitals become instruments for siphoning our resources, and arbitration clauses defer justice to tribunals far removed from our realities.”

Dr Ayine warned against tax holidays, stabilization clauses, and concessions that “mortgage future generations,” describing them as “a sophisticated form of economic extraction cloaked in legality.”

However, he stressed that not all foreign interests are exploitative, urging African states to seek “genuine investment capital that builds factories, transfers technology, and uplifts communities.”

Earlier, AFBA President High Chief Ibrahim Eddie Mark welcomed delegates, emphasising the need for unity among African legal minds to address systemic dependency and underdevelopment. He lauded the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a potential cornerstone for Africa’s economic independence if effectively implemented.

AM

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