Session No. 4 of the African Bar Association (AfBA) Annual Conference will focus on “Foreign Interests in Africa: Investment Agreements.” The session will explore Africa’s strategic position in global geopolitics and its relationships with major powers such as China, Russia, the United States, and the West.
Discussions will review both historical and recent investment trends, focusing on agreements involving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Rwanda. Participants will assess how these partnerships affect Africa’s development and propose strategies for more balanced and beneficial engagements.
The chairman of this session will be confirmed by the conference planning committee shortly while the panellists are H.E. Prof. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, John Philpot, Kambale Musavuli and Claude Gatebuke.
H.E. Prof Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu
Prof. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu is a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources of The Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) 2015 – 2019. Prior to that, he was the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Prof. Kachikwu later became the President of OPEC in 2016, serving Nigeria’s term as OPEC President. He was the unprecedented three time President of APPO (The Ministerial Council of African Petroleum Ministers) and undertook major reforms of APPO to bring it alive.
Prior to time at NNPC, he was the Executive Vice Chairman of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and General Counsel for ExxonMobil Nigeria affiliate Upstream and Downstream Companies in Nigeria. He was also General Counsel/Legal Adviser, Texaco Nigeria and Texaco Overseas Petroleum Company, a position he held for ten (10) years spanning through a period from 1984 -1994 overseeing various company divisions including Texaco Nigeria Limited, Texaco Overseas Nigeria Petroleum Company and Texaco Agro Industries Nigeria Limited. He is currently Chairman in Africenergy and Infrastructure Limited, in addition of being a Partner in various Law Firms globally. Prof Kachikwu is a recepient of severall awards and honours across the world.
John Philpot
A former judge at the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal, in 2019, John Philpot is a Canadian criminal defence attorney and expert in International Criminal Law. He has thirty-nine years’ experience as a lawyer, activist, and speaker in the international peace movement in Canada, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. A member of the Board of Just Peace Advocates, John is President of the Rwandan Political Prisoner Support Network. John was an observer for International Trial Watch – Catalan referendum Case in Madrid. John is frequently interviewed on international media and won the le Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza Prize for Democracy and Peace in 2022.
Kambale Musavuli
Kambale Musavuli is a pan African analyst and activist recognised for his expertise in Central and West African affairs, resource governance, and foreign policy. As an analyst at the Center for Research on the Congo-Kinshasa (CERECK), he focuses on the geopolitical and economic forces shaping Africa’s natural resource sectors, foreign investment frameworks, and sovereignty debates. Born in Kinshasa and based in Accra, Musavuli brings over two decades of experience working with African governments, civil society organizations, and international partners to advance policies on trade, security, and development. He is widely known for his advocacy on mineral justice and foreign intervention in the Great Lakes region, contributing analysis to global conferences, academic institutions, and media outlets. Musavuli is a sought-after commentator on Africa’s sovereignty challenges and the future of Pan-African integration.
Claude Gatebuke
Claude Gatebuke is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of the African Great Lakes Action Network (AGLAN). A survivor of the Rwandan genocide and civil war, Mr Gatebuke is a human rights activist. His work focuses on justice, genocide, mass atrocities prevention and accountability. Mr. Gatebuke is a well sought after speaker around the world. He has been featured in various magazines and newspapers across the globe and has made several appearances on national and international radio and television. He is co-author of the 2022 book, Survivors Uncensored: 100+ Testimonies from Survivors of the Rwandan Genocide as Well as Pre- and Post Genocide Rwanda; Inspiring Stories of Resilience and Humanity.
