Arusha, Tanzania', City Reports on International Law

Yankson, E. (2020)

Arusha has an enviable reputation in the promotion of international law in Africa. However, given the strong presence of the national government in Tanzania’s urban governance, much of the city’s pedigree in international law is evident in terms of the spatial context, rather than its role as an actor. To begin with, the historical and diplomatic pedigree of Arusha accord it a special place on the continent. The city played host to the agreement in 1961 which granted independence to today’s United Republic of Tanzania. Moreover, the Arusha declaration of 1967 was instrumental in the birthing of African socialism and the entrenchment of political centralisation in Tanzania. Arusha is also the host city for the East African Community which promotes political and economic integration among six countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan). Besides the historical and diplomatic context, Arusha has a reputation for peace building and good governance in tandem with the Urban Authority Act of 1982 (later amended in 1992). The Arusha Accords of 1993 aimed to promote peace between the then transitional government in Rwanda and the rebel Rwanda Patriotic Front. Similarly, the 2000 Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi sought to find a peaceful solution to the country’s protracted conflict. In 2015, a peace agreement was signed in Arusha to end political and ethnic factionalism within the ruling Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in South Sudan. The city’s reputation of good governance its evinced by its political inclusiveness. Additionally, the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption is based in this city. Also, Arusha has been instrumental in hosting several international courts and legal establishments. Between 1994 and 2015, it served as the venue for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda meant to try persons involved in serious human rights abuses in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Upon conclusion of the court’s work, its successor (the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals) established a branch in Arusha. The African Court on Human and People’s Rights, an institution created by the African Union to promote human rights protection across the continent, is also based in Arusha. Moreover, the city is the venue for the African Institute of International Law, an independent research and educational centre supported by both the African Union and United Nations. Arusha also prioritises refugee matters, in consonance with the Tanzania Country Refugee Response Plan. The city has played host over the years to various international conferences and platforms dealing with the refugee population on the African continent.

The Pan-African Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa was held in Arusha in May 1979. This conference emphasised the rights of refugees to be protected from torture and stressed the importance of international conventions to their welfare. A 1990 refugee conference in Arusha underscored the salience of integration, voluntary repatriation and resettlement of refugees. In 2011, a conference in Arusha organised under the aegis of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees examined relationships among international refugee law, international criminal law and international human rights law.

In the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Arusha has played a pivotal role. This has been informed by the Urban Authority Act of 1982 (later amended in 1992), as well as the Arusha strategic plan for the 2011/12 to 2014/15. The strategies adopted seek to enhance the quality of water supply and sanitation services. In terms of the spatial context, the Arusha Declaration of November 2018 was in solidarity with the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. This was in tandem with goal 16 which focuses on peace, justice and strong institutions. The city has hosted other conferences on the Sustainable Development Goals. A major example is the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in September 2012.

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