AMLF Planning Session Brings African Military Lawyers To Bar Center
Senior military lawyers from 10 African nations traveled to North Carolina this spring to conduct an extensive planning session for the sixth Africa Military Law Forum, or AMLF, scheduled later this year in Gaborone, Botswana.
Representatives from the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) Office of Legal Counsel, which supports the AMLF, and the North Carolina National Guard, which partners with Botswana through the U.S. State Partnership Program, also participated in the meeting.
Major General Yusuf Ibrahim Shalangwa from Nigeria, AMLF president, addresses attendees.
Their important work brought them to the N.C. Bar Center for a reception on Tuesday, April 26, sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association, the NCBA Military & Veterans Law Section (MVLS), and the Smith Anderson firm.
Veterans Patrick Wilson, who chairs the Military & Veterans Law Section, and Kirk Warner, who was a driving force behind the establishment of the section, both practice with Smith Anderson and participated in the event.
Participants from NCBA leadership included President-elect Clayton Morgan and Executive Director Jason Hensley, who both addressed the gathering, and Immediate Past President Mark Holt.
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary linguist Birane Diouf, left, translates remarks from NCBA President-elect Clayton Morgan.
“Jason also briefed the AMLF earlier in the day for two hours on the benefits of bar associations and, in particular, how the NCBA provides the power of good to the state and our lawyers,” Warner said. “The focus of the reception was to provide input to the AMLF representatives on the benefits of a bar association, including competence, professionalism, education, rule of law, and ethics in particular.
“The NCBA and Military & Veterans Law Section leadership enthusiastically joined in the reception. The AMLF representatives were particularly impressed with the section and its mission.”
The AMLF, Warner explained, is a forum which provides African military legal professionals with a platform to strengthen cooperation and facilitate collaboration amongst themselves to promote military operational adherence to the law and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law in Africa.
The AMLF was initiated in March 2014 to gather senior-level African military legal advisors from across the continent to discuss legal topics of interest, propose model solutions, and exchange ideas on how to improve military operational adherence to the rule of law.
Thirteen senior military lawyers of general officer level from Nigeria, Cameroon, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Tunisia, Niger, Malawi, Burundi and Botswana attended the reception along with several USAFRICOM and North Carolina National Guard lawyers.
From left, Kirk Warner speaks with Professor John Brooker (UNC School of Law) and Brig. Gen. Godard Busingye of Uganda.
“We were very grateful to the NCBA and the Smith Anderson firm for hosting our African military legal advisors,” said Richard E. Faye, who serves as chief counsel of the North Carolina National Guard. “They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and had the opportunity to observe and discuss common issues with NCBA leadership.”
The participation of the NCBA and the Military & Veterans Law Section is especially noteworthy when one considers the fact that the African military lawyers do not have a coordinated bar or bar association.
“The Military & Veterans Law Section was thrilled to support the AMLF event,” Wilson said. “As advocates for the military- and veteran-affiliated residents of North Carolina, the MVLS frequently finds itself at the intersection of military/veteran issues and the law.
“The AMLF is in part designed to likewise function at the intersection of the military and the law, so our groups are kindred spirits. It was fascinating to learn more about the AMLF and share ideas among our groups. We at the MVLS wish the best success to the AMLF in future efforts.”
Russell Rawlings is director of external affairs and communications for the North Carolina Bar Association.