AFRICAN legal experts have camped in Arusha for seven days to extensively discuss the best ways to deal with conflicts in the seas and great lakes on the continent.

Opening the meeting here yesterday, Charles Mtae, legal officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, said that the meeting will build the capacity for them to criticize, especially when the issue of sea boundaries arises.

He said the meeting will help participants to better understand the laws of the sea and boundaries because there are experienced experts who are involved in the issues of conflict resolution.

“The presence of these experts here will help participants to increase their knowledge and understanding of the law and procedures regarding expansion and extension of sea borders in their respective countries,” he said.

Prof Mathias Sahinkuye, director of the African Institute of International Law, said that the institute was given the task of organizing the conference which brings together more than 50 participants from various African countries.

“A large number of participants come from Africa and some from Spain, Iceland, Denmark, and Oman. The meeting will focus more on discussing the laws of the sea because it is part of the implementation of our institution's plans, including promoting rule of law for African countries,” he said.

Prof Sahinkuye said that many people do not know the laws of the sea boundaries and sometimes they cause conflicts between countries, adding that they will use the opportunity of the meeting to increase knowledge of experts so that they can provide education to the people.

Khadija Shamte, Judge of the High Court in Zanzibar, said the meeting was beneficial for Tanzania as was to discuss formulation of good policies and laws for the settlement of maritime disputes. 

"Since the laws of the sea are an international issue, there are things that can happen, including legal conflicts; so, we should have good laws and policies that help us resolve sea conflicts when they occur," she said.

She said that since participating countries have a lot of resources in the sea and the great lakes, they should use them well by having good policies that manage the blue economy.

“These laws are an important asset for citizens and the government has been striving to provide education by using various platforms because the laws of the high seas are governed by international agreements to control some things, including resources that are allowed to be transported to other countries,” she said.