TCI and Zanzibar Law Society to Forge Transcontinental Partnership to Advance Legal Modernization
- NewslineTCI
- 40 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Mark A. Fulford, President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar Counil, paid a courtesy visit on Thursday, 16 October 2025, on the Zanzibar Law Society (ZLS) at its Secretariat in Stone Town, where he met with President Joseph Magazi and Council Member Advocate Fatna Ngomou.
The meeting marked a significant step in forging deeper professional ties between the legal communities of the Caribbean and East Africa.
During their discussions, both Presidents exchanged perspectives on the governance, composition, and independence of their respective Bars, and reflected on shared priorities in legal modernization, access to justice, and the responsible integration of technology into legal practice and court administration.
President Fulford outlined the ongoing reforms in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ legal sector, including the revision of the Legal Profession Act, the expansion of continuing professional development, digital filing and collaboration with the Judiciary on Artificial Intelligence Practice Direction to guide the ethical adoption of emerging technologies.
“It was an honour to meet with President Magazi and members of the Zanzibar Law Society Council in this historic city, the birthplace of so much East African legal heritage,” said President Fulford. “Across continents, we face similar questions, how to preserve the independence of the Bar, how to prepare the next generation of lawyers for a world transformed by technology, and how to ensure that the law remains a living force for justice and human dignity. Our exchange reaffirmed that while our jurisdictions may differ in geography, our professional purpose is the same.”
President Magazi, in turn, shared Zanzibar’s progress in digitizing court filings and strengthening Bar governance, while acknowledging that linguistic diversity across Tanzania presents unique challenges for artificial intelligence and automation.
“We are proud of the advances made in our online court systems and in strengthening professional governance,” said President Magazi. “However, the multiplicity of native languages across the Union means that AI tools must be localized and inclusive. Our dialogue with President Fulford was invaluable in understanding how other small jurisdictions are managing these transitions responsibly and ethically.”
Both leaders reaffirmed the vital role of the legal profession in upholding the rule of law, defending democratic governance, and safeguarding judicial independence in their respective countries. They expressed a shared commitment to transcontinental cooperation between African and Caribbean Bars, including joint continuing legal education programmes, professional exchanges, and collaborative research on ethics, technology, and access to justice.
To give effect to these discussions, the two leaders agreed to explore a Memorandum of Understanding between the Zanzibar Law Society and the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar to facilitate sustained professional exchange, study visits, and joint training initiatives.
“This visit reminds us that the strength of the legal profession lies not in isolation, but in collaboration,” President Fulford added. “When we exchange knowledge across continents, we not only strengthen our respective Bars but reinforce the global rule of law. I look forward to building on this new relationship, to share expertise, foster excellence, and deepen the bridge between Zanzibar and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Asante sana.”
The meeting concluded with a courtesy photograph and exchange of tokens at the Zanzibar Law Society Secretariat.
President Fulford’s visit forms part of his wider African Bar Presidents Outreach, a strategic initiative designed to build enduring partnerships between the Caribbean and Africa, fostering cooperation on shared priorities such as legal reform, professional development, judicial efficiency, and digital transformation within the global legal ecosystem.
- Contributed