Dear fellow members of the East African Judges and Magistrate’s Association (EAMJA), you are all warmly welcome to Rwanda, a Country of a Thousand Hills and a Thousand smiles. As it has been announced to you through notices and invitation letters, the judiciary of Rwanda will host the 19th Annual EAMJA Conference under the theme ''EAC Courts Efficiency in Adjudicating Emerging Cross Border Issues: Challenges and Strengths' '. On this occasion, highly experienced legal practitioners: researchers, lawyers and judges will debate on the adjudication of cross-border cases in commercial, civil, criminal and human rights matters, particularly within the East African Community.

Papers and debate on regional case law will enrich the knowledge of the participants on the complexity of legal issues in cross-border cases. Furthermore, we are convinced that from these debates it will be possible to formulate recommendations that can help our respective courts and tribunals to considerably improve their capacities to adjudicate cases in this particular area of law, and thus strengthen the rule of law within the East African Community.