Legal issues related to Cryptocurrencies are at the heart of the judicial debate in Africa. This Wednesday December 17, a regional conference opened at the École de Formation des Judicial Professions (EFPJ) in Abomey-Calavi, around the theme: “The challenges of cryptocurrency for African law and legal professionals : challenges and perspectives”.

For three days, experts, researchers and legal practitioners from several countries in the sub-region meet to analyze the growing impact of digital currencies on systems African legal systems. The objective is clear: to better understand a phenomenon by full expansion and prepare justice actors to deal with it effectively.

As soon as work began, the director General of the EFPJ, Bernadette Houndékandji Codjovi, recalled the complexity of subject. Discussions will focus in particular on the analysis of legislation. national and regional, their compliance with international standards, as well as on the protection of investors in the face of cryptocurrency volatility.

The program also includes reflections on the jurisdiction of ordinary courts, the possible creation of specialized chambers and conflicts of laws in a digital ecosystem decentralized. These are all crucial questions in a context where Cryptocurrencies escape traditional borders and legal frameworks.

Economic opportunities, risks

If cryptocurrencies offer real opportunities, they also involve major risks. For Gilbert Ulrich Togbonon, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Justice, this Evolution requires a profound reform of legal frameworks and judicial practices.

“Cryptocurrencies promote inclusion financial and innovation, but they also expose them to cybercrime, fraud, money laundering and extreme volatility,” he said underlined. The lack of harmonized regulation and the multiplication of conflicts of courts make the task of judicial authorities even more complex.

To meet these challenges, the conference offers a series of papers and thematic panels. Exchanges cover a broad spectrum: from cryptocurrency fundamentals to their criminal implications, including taxation, intellectual property, judicial evidence and future regulatory perspectives.

The challenge is above all educational. ” Magistrates, lawyers, police officers, regulators and decision-makers must be prepared, trained and technically equipped,” insisted Gilbert Ulrich Togbonon. Anticipating ongoing changes is becoming essential for ensure legal security and protect citizens.

Towards an African legal response

Through this initiative, the EFPJ intends contribute to the emergence of a coherent African legal response to cryptocurrencies. In a constantly evolving digital world, justice Africa is called to modernize, without renouncing its principles fundamentals.

This conference thus marks a stage. important. It paves the way for collective reflection on the regulation of digital currencies, in order to reconcile innovation, security and respect for the rule of law on the continent.