PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PALU Signs Strategic Partnership with OSAPG to Strengthen Genocide Prevention and Transitional Justice in Africa
The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) is pleased to announce its new partnership with the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide (OSAPG). The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed at the OSAPG’s office in New York on October 25, 2024, outlines areas of collaboration between the two institutions. These include capacity building and knowledge sharing on the prevention of genocide and transitional justice for African lawyers. This partnership is culminated with the inception of a pilot training programme for African lawyers scheduled for December 2024 (More information on the training to follow).
PALU welcomes this collaboration and looks forward to a fruitful partnership with the OSAPG, furthering its mission to develop the legal profession and promote the rule of law in Africa.
Signed and released in Arusha, Tanzania on Monday 30th September, 2024
Donald Deya
Chief Executive Officer – Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) Tel: +255 685 078 794
Cell: +255 787 066 888
E-mail: secretariat@lawyersofafrica.org
Notes to Editors
The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) is the premier continental membership forum of and for lawyers and lawyers’ associations in Africa. PALU was founded in 2002 by African Bar leaders and eminent lawyers, to reflect the aspirations and concerns of the African people to promote and defend their shared interests. Its membership comprises of over eight regional lawyers’ associations (RLAs), over 55 national lawyers’ associations (NLAs) and over 1,000 individual lawyers spread across Africa and the Diaspora, working together to advance the law and the legal profession, the rule of law and good governance, human and peoples’ rights and the social-economic development of the African continent.
The Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide (OSAPG) is a United Nations entity responsible for preventing and addressing the risk of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Its key functions include collecting and assessing information to identify potential risks, providing recommendations to the UN Secretary-General, raising awareness about preventive measures, and collaborating with governments, regional organizations, and civil society. The office plays a central role in advocating for the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), which holds states accountable for preventing such atrocities.