African Court Delegation Visits ECOWAS Court to Strengthen Judicial Cooperation
Throughout the five-day program, both courts will exchange overviews of their institutions, discuss common interests such as case management and human rights jurisprudence, and explore areas for collaboration.
A delegation from the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, led by Dr. Horace Segnonna, Head of its Legal Division, is currently on a working visit to the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, from April 22 to 26, 2024. This visit is part of a judicial cooperation agreement between the two courts, aimed at enhancing their roles for the benefit of West African and African citizens.
During the visit, Justice Gberi-Bè Ouattara, Vice President of the ECOWAS Court, welcomed the African Court delegation, highlighting the significance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in strengthening cooperation and improving jurisprudence. He emphasized the importance of exchange visits for international cooperation and the potential value of the outcome document for future reference.
Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, Chief Registrar of the ECOWAS Court, underscored the importance of collaboration between the institutions in advancing justice delivery in the ECOWAS subregion and Africa. He outlined the areas of cooperation outlined in the MoU, which include personnel exchange, information sharing, research, and capacity building.
Mr. Senonna expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and expressed optimism about the outcome document from the visit. He highlighted the benefits of collaboration between the courts in overcoming shared challenges.
Throughout the five-day program, both courts will exchange overviews of their institutions, discuss common interests such as case management and human rights jurisprudence, and explore areas for collaboration. The visit includes interactions with judges, observing court sessions, and touring the ECOWAS Court building.
The African Court delegation, led by Mr. Senonna, includes senior officers such as Mrs. Anipha Mwingiba and Dr. Mwiza Joy Nkhata. Participants from the ECOWAS Court include Dr. Athanase Atannon and Mr. Aboubakar Diakite, among others.
The program will conclude with visits to the Supreme Court of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Justice. This visit follows a similar one by the ECOWAS Court to the African Court in Arusha, Tanzania, in June 2023, where both institutions renewed their MoU.
