International Law Institute-African Centre for Legal Excellence

The International Law Institute-African Centre for Legal Excellence (ILI-ACLE) is a proud affiliate of the International Law Institute (ILI) based in Washington, DC, which has been working towards rule of law reform across the developing world since 1955. Through an arrangement with the Government of Uganda and World Bank support, ILI established its first regional training centre in Kampala, Uganda in 1997 to provide continuing professional legal education in subjects broadly related to economic development and international commercial relations. ILI-ACLE was then formed in 1998 as an independent, self-governing non-governmental organization under the laws of the Republic of Uganda.

In seventeen years, the ILI-ACLE has established itself as one of the most respected providers of professional level training and technical assistance and advisory programs broadly related to law, finance, management and governance. By having a regional focus in sub-Saharan Africa and by using a combination of both regionally and internationally renowned experts, ILI-ACLE has successfully been able to ensure that its initiatives address the unique challenges confronting Africa with the most contemporary and relevant international best practice. Over 10,000 participants from a cross-section of 35 African countries in the public and private sectors and civil society have benefited from the Institute’s programs. The Institute has in many ways acted as a focal point in the region for individuals and institutions to make useful business contacts-- effectively creating a regional professional network. It is the first and only centre of its kind on the African continent.

In addition to its capacity building programmes, ILI-ACLE works with all major bilateral and multilateral development partners in the implementation of technical assistance and advisory services in a wide range of areas of critical importance to the development of public and private sectors in Africa, including negotiating and drafting contracts, public procurement, public-private partnerships for infrastructure, international and regional trade, regional integration, human rights, access to justice, judicial restructuring and reform, good governance and legislative drafting. All technical advisory services provided by the Institute offer the additional benefit of capacity building and training to promote the long-term sustainability of services provided. This unique blend of technical advisory and professional capacity building services, backed by a strong understanding of African context, distinguish the Institute from all other organizations in the region and make it globally competitive to offer sustainable capacity building and technical advisory services to effectively reform African institutions.