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Dr 'Abdulai Osman Conteh ' is a lawyer and politician from Sierra Leone.
His roles in Sierra Leone politics include Minister of Foreign Affairs; Minister of Finance, and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.
In 2000 he became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Belize.
Conteh’s education includes:
Certificate in Managing Transactions and Legal Risks in a Global Economy: 1997, Washington College of Law, American University, Washington DC, USA
Ph.D, (International Law), 1974, Kings College, Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Title of Dissertation: The United Nations and the Use of Force: A Study of Some Legal Problems
LLB (Hons), (Post graduate degree covering conflict of laws, International Institutions, law of armed conflicts and humanitarian law and comparative law), 1971, Kings College, Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
LLM, (Law of Treaties, law of insurance, armed conflicts and international institutions_, 1971, London University, United Kingdom
LLB (Hons) law, 1969, Kings College, London University, United Kingdom
Barrister at Law: Called to the Bar of England and Wales, 1970, at Lincoln’s Inn, London, United Kingdom
Professional skills and expertise include:
Extensive graduate studies in law, including international law
Extensive practicle knowledge of law and international affairs, diplomacy and business
Over ten years of professional practice of law both as a private legal practitioner and government lawyer, several yeas in academia as a law teacher, over ten years in public service as a minister of government dealing with foreign affairs and diplomacy, legal, constitutional and economic issues
Called to the Bar of England and Wales at Lincoln’s Inn, London, 1970; a member of the Bar of Sierra Leone and The Gambia
Computer skills: Microcomputers – IBM PC, Compaq, Desktop 2?00 Pentium, 166Mhz, Wordprocessor, MSWord, Excel, Powerpoint
Summary of relevant work expertise
1997-Present
International Center Washington DC
Senior Fellow
1997-1998
WorldSpace Foundation Washington DC
Senior Advisor
Acted as consultant on strategy for collaboration between WorldSpace Foundation and UN Secretariat and UN system
1993-1995
Chambers Banjul, The Gambia
Legal Practitioner, also acted as consultant to the Government of the Gambia on the law of evidence, resulting in the Evidence Act, 1994, of The Gambia
1991-1992
Government of Sierra Leone:
First Vice President and Minister of Internal Affairs and Rural Development
Principal Assistant to the Head of state and Government. A member of Eminent Group of persons to review the Treaty of Lagos, 1973, establishing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): chaired sub-committee of the Group dealing with issues of Regional Peach, Security and political Cooperation
1989-1991:
Sierra Leone Law School:
Bencher and Lecturer in law
1987-1991
Government of Sierra Leone:
Attorney-General and Minister of Justice
Principal legal adviser to the government of Sierra Leone; represented the same in litigation and provided legal advice and options to government ministries and other agencies; acted as a resource person in a training programme organised by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa on Conflicts Resolutions, Crisis Prevention and Management and Confidence Building among Member States of ECOWAS in Lome, Togo (1988); instrumental in establishing the Sierra Leone Law School and actively participated in its teaching programme as well as serving as a Bencher of the School responsible for admitting students to the Bar; actively participated in the drafting if 1991 multi-party National Consultation of Sierra Leone and piloted its passage through the Legislature.
1985-1987
Conteh, Terry&Col Legal Practitioners Sierra Leone
Senior Partner
1984-1985 Sierra Leone
Government of Sierra Leone
Minister of Finance
Responsible for the financial policy of the State of Sierra Leone; served on the interim committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
1977-1984 Sierra Leone
Government of Sierra Leone
Minster of Foreign Affairs
Responsible for the foreign policy of Sierra Leone and its representation abroad; participated in numerous international conferences; Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM); Non-Aligned Movement several meetings of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and participated in its committees to resolve the Western Sahara Dispute, the Lloyd/Chad dispute, and the Ethiopia/ Sudan Dispute
Led the Sierra Leone Delegations to the UN General Assembly (1977-1983), and various Special Sessions of the Assembly, Between 1980-81 served as vice-President of UN General Assembly, and Chairman of the OAU Council of Ministers
1977-1992
Elected Member of Parliament Sierra Leone
1975-1977
Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone
Lecturer in law and legal practitioner
Established law firm Conteh, Terry&Co
1974-1975
Law Officers Department of Government of Sierra Leone
State Counsel
Some Publications
“African and International Legal Provisions to the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes”
Disarmament, Vol 22, No 1 Pg 44, Winter, 1988/89
“The Protection of the Interests of Members and Creditors, Administration Orders and the Insolvency Act 1992. The Bulletin (of The Gambia Brach of the African Society of International and Comparative Law), Issue No 5, December 1994
“Sierra Leone and the Norm of Non-Intervention: Evolution and Practice” March 1995 Issue of The African Journal of International and Comparative Law
Presented several papers and statements to various synopsis, workshops and conferences.
Languages spoken include:
Mother tongue: Susa
Fluent in both written and spoken English, with working knowledge of French and verbal proficiency in several African languages.
Hobbies:
Enjoys reading and travelling and take-away's from Raul's Rose Garden

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External links

External links

★ belizelaw.org