Canada Renews Support to IIJ in Strengthening Judicial Cooperation in East Africa
The IIJ is proud to announce Canada’s generous contribution to strengthening international judicial cooperation in East Africa. This partnership, marking the start of phase two of the IIJ’s project on international judicial cooperation in the region, will enhance security, Rule of Law, and human rights protections in countering transnational crime and terrorism.
With Canada’s support, the IIJ will enhance the efficiency and capability of central and competent authorities of Kenya and Somalia in processing mutual legal assistance (MLA) requests and international judicial cooperation mechanisms. This initiative will improve the technical capacities of legal practitioners, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to handle MLA and international judicial cooperation requests, ultimately bolstering counter-terrorism and transnational crime investigations.
At the regional level, this initiative will foster greater exchange on procedural frameworks and coordination among Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Sudan in handling complex transnational cases, with a focus on gender-differentiated impacts and needs.
Through updated judicial cooperation guidelines and frameworks, regional meetings and networks, and targeted capacity-building efforts, Canada’s support will ensure that legal practitioners in Kenya, Somalia and in the broader region are well-equipped to tackle complex cross-border cases while upholding human rights and the Rule of Law.
To highlight the impact of our work in this area, the IIJ produced the video “Building Strong Procedural Mechanisms for MLA”, showcasing key achievements from the first phase of the MLA project and the key events organised over the past years since 2022. The video marks a significant milestone, including the drafting of Somalia’s first law on international judicial cooperation and strengthening judicial cooperation between Kenya and Somalia. The draft law has now been passed to the Somali Parliament for review, representing a major step towards more effective cross-border legal frameworks.
The IIJ expresses its sincere appreciation to Canada for its steadfast support of our mission and its commitment to advancing justice and security.
Watch the video here: