Presentation

General Editor: Abdulqawi A. YUSUF

Associate Editors: Mpazi SINJELA, Fatsah OUGUERGOUZ

Founded in 1993, the African Yearbook of International Law (AYIL) is the only scholarly publication devoted exclusively to the theory and practice of international law as seen from an African perspective. It provides an intellectual forum for the systematic analysis and scientific dissection of issues in international law as they apply to Africa, as well as Africa’s contribution to the progressive development of international law. It contributes to the promotion, acceptance of, and respect for the rule of law in intra-African relations, and for the principles of international law in general. It also encourages the teaching, study, dissemination and wider appreciation of international law in Africa. The high-quality articles published in the Yearbook provide a clear articulation of Africa’s views on various aspects of international law based on the present realities of the continent as well as on Africa’s civilization, culture, philosophy, and history.

Each volume of the Yearbook contains a special theme under which topical international legal issues of particular relevance to Africa are debated and analyzed by scholars and international law practitioners, as well as general articles of a theoretical nature examining diverse issues of international law, shorter notes and comments, documents and legal developments in Africa, and book reviews. Special themes have so far included the following:

  • Namibia: The Independence Process
  • Nation-building, Internal Conflicts and Humanitarian Intervention in Africa
  • Human Rights and Development in Africa
  • Civil Conflicts in Africa
  • Regional Economic Integration
  • The Problem of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Africa
  • African Union

Significant timely legal information on Africa featured in each volume includes:

  • texts of all African conventions and protocols in English and French;
  • all the decisions and declarations of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in English and French;
  • all the UN Security Council Resolutions and Declarations concerning Africa; and
  • all the essential information for lawyers, legislators, policy makers, diplomats, and researchers on international legal developments on the continent or on issues concerning African countries.

Among the notes, there is one about the Security Council and Africa, another on the International Court of Justice decisions. First in Volume 10 (2002), there will be another note on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda law cases. Finally, we will insert a selection of Websites on different matters of interest.