Held every two years, the meeting of law ministers is a leading platform for collaboration among the 56 Commonwealth countries, which share a common legal tradition.
The theme of this year’s meeting is ‘Technology and Innovation: How digitalisation paves the way for the development of people-centred access to justice.’
Under this theme, law ministers will examine ethical ways to use technology to make legal services and information more accessible to people, while exploring responses to threats, such as cybercrime.
Speaking about the meeting, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, commended the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for making exceptional arrangements for the meeting.
Secretary-General Scotland drew attention to the pressing need to close the access to justice gap, which currently affects two-thirds of the world’s population.
She highlighted the detrimental consequences of the lack of people’s access to justice on development, inclusive growth, and conflict prevention.
The Secretary-General continued: “At a time when increasing conflicts are undermining respect for international law, ensuring equal access to justice remains a fundamental precondition for building peace and security for all.”
She said: “Our priority is to help all our member states deliver equal access to justice for all. That requires legal systems which can meet the needs of all.
“The upcoming Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting offers us a vital platform to discuss the growing threats to the rule of law and find innovative ways to deliver the changes which will guarantee justice for every one of the 2.5 billion people living in our Commonwealth.”
Hon Ambassador Dr Pindi H. Chana, the United Republic of Tanzania’s Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs and Chair of the 2024 Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting, announced the meeting’s details at a press conference in Zanzibar on 26 February 2024.
Addressing journalists, she said: “We expect to get a lot of benefits following this meeting as the topics that will be discussed will help to find the right ways to strengthen and enforce the law and access to human rights.”
The meeting’s four-day agenda will cover a range of topical legal issues, including digital assets, electronic resources for efficient legal systems, access to justice for people with disabilities and developments in climate legislation.
The outcomes from the meeting will shape the agenda for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa later this year.
The meeting will be held at the Mora Hotel in Zanzibar from 4 to 8 March 2024.
