Tanzanian born Dr Rukia Baruti, is a qualified solicitor in England & Wales and sits as an international arbitrator. She is a founding member and current Secretary General of the African Arbitration Association (AfAA), which won the Global Arbitration Award for Best Development. Previously, Dr Baruti managed Africa International Legal Awareness (AILA), a capacity building initiative she founded that trained African lawyers in investment treaty law and arbitration. Prior to founding AILA, Dr Baruti practised law at SJ Berwin’s International Arbitration Group in London where her contribution to a pro bono initiative saw her listed in The Lawyer 'Hot 100'. Dr Baruti benefits from experience in the roles of Counsel, Arbitrator and Secretary to the Tribunal in arbitrations conducted under various arbitration rules. She serves on the Users Council of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and is a former Vice-President of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) Africa Users’ Council. She also has a well-rounded knowledge of Public International Law and International Relations gained from her postgraduate studies.