The ECOWAS Community Court and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights are expected to sign an agreement on areas of collaboration that will enhance their contribution to improving respect for human rights in Africa.
A delegation of the ECOWAS Court, led by its President, Justice Jérôme Traoré, is in Arusha for this purpose.
Both courts are concerned about enforcement of their decisions.
‘We want to discuss ways of building synergy in improving the effectiveness of both Courts so that through the discharge of their mandates, they can improve respect for human rights instruments which our Member States are signatories,’ Justice Traoré said ahead of the visit.
He said that both Courts are confronted with similar challenges, including the enforcement of their decisions and will ‘need to work together in resolving these challenges in order to strengthen respect for human rights, reduce arbitrariness and contribute to the strengthening of our democracy.’
‘Enforcement remains a major challenge and we will need to continue to engage strategically with other stakeholders to improve the level of compliance as this contributes to citizen confidence in the Courts as a recourse for mitigating their human rights violations,’ he added.
Officials of both courts will during the four day visit which started yesterday, make presentations on the jurisdiction of the courts, those of other international courts of similar jurisdictions, and the mechanisms for the execution of their decisions.
Both courts are also expected to sign a memorandum of understanding delineating areas of cooperation.
In addition to the judges of the court, the ECOWAS Court delegation will also include directors of the court.
