Judicial cooperation between Italy and African countries: two workshops completed in Gabon and Chad
Two advanced training courses for magistrates in Gabon and Chad, organised as part of a training project funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and coordinated by the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, in collaboration with local counterparts, have come to a successful conclusion
The Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), has organised two training courses for magistrates in Chad (“Justice and New Technologies”, N'Djamena, 18-20 November 2025) and Gabon (“Drug Trafficking”, Libreville, 4-6 November 2025). The organisation of these training courses for local judicial actors is part of the project “Rule of Law and Cooperation in Africa (2024-2025)”, coordinated by Dr Lorenzo Gasbarri. The support provided by the Farnesina and the Italian embassies in the region has always been crucial to the success of these activities.
The course in Libreville, held in partnership with the École Nationale de la Magistrature (ENM) du Gabon, focused on drug trafficking, a crucial challenge for national and regional justice. The programme addressed the Gabonese and international legal framework, links with money laundering, investigative techniques and regional and international judicial cooperation. The training concluded with practical simulations and case studies, led by Italian and African experts, including Dr Alberto Perduca, former Public Prosecutor with extensive experience in international judicial cooperation, and Dr Filippo Dispenza, Prefect of the Republic and currently Coordinator of the Extraordinary Commission of the Municipality of Caivano. The closing ceremony, presided over by the Italian Ambassador to Libreville, HE Stefano Moscatelli, highlighted the importance of the initiative.
The training activities in N'Djamena, organised with the École Nationale de Formation Judiciaire (ENFJ-Tchad), focused on providing local magistrates with tools to address the challenges posed by technological innovation. The programme covered important topics such as the digitisation of justice, the impact of artificial intelligence and European guidelines on the use of new technologies, as well as international cooperation against cybercrime. The sessions were led by Dr Maria Giuliana Civinini, former president of the Court of Pisa, and Prof. Giovanni Carlo Bruno.
These two events marked the conclusion of the “Rule of Law and Cooperation in Africa (2024-2025)” project. We are pleased to announce that, in light of the results achieved, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has decided to fund the project again for the year 2026, confirming Italy's commitment to strengthening judicial cooperation and the rule of law in Africa.
