African Court outlines pragmatic agenda for 2024

Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud, President of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights has outlined a pragmatic agenda for continental court’s operations in 2024 which also hinges on the garnered in momentum of 2023.

She noted that, as part of the 2024 pragmatic agenda, the African Court will continue with its judicial diplomacy and sensitization missions and intensify its engagement with Member States to ensure that they adequately understand its role and how it operates.

“The African Court will also continue and upscale its engagement with key stakeholders to ensure the effective discharge of its mandate,” Lady Justice Aboud stated during the opening of the 2024 Judicial Year which was made available to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult which is a development communication advocacy non-governmental organisation based in Tema, Ghana.

The 2024 Judicial Year of the African Court was on the general theme “Enhancing the Justiciability of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, with an Emphasis on the Right to Education.”

Lady Justice Aboud said this year the African Court will scale up its engagement with African Union Organs, both individually and within the framework of the African Governance Architecture Platform, Law Societies, National Human Rights institutions, academia, and civil society organisations.

She said that as part of the 2024 pragmatic agenda, the African Court will capitalise on the ongoing institutional reform, which provides a unique opportunity for both the Court and Member States to engage and strengthen the Court to effectively contribute to achieving the objectives of the African Union and the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

“I can assure you that the judges and staff of the African Court are dedicated and enthusiastic and only need your support,” she noted.

She said the African Court will also strengthen its relationship with the African Court Media Network to ensure that our activities and rulings get more visibility across the continent; “the media forms an integral part of the 2024 pragmatic agenda.”

She said the African Court “strongly believes that the Africa we want cannot be built on political integration alone. It requires all the various constituent elements, including, but not limited to, good governance and respect for human rights.

“History teaches us that all stable economies and communities around the world are built on a strong foundation of the rule of law, justice, and respect for human rights.

“It is therefore imperative that if Africa is to develop, if Africa is to prosper, if Africa is to unite, if Africa is to silence the guns, and if we truly long for the Africa we want, our actions must be guided by justice, the rule of law, and respect for human rights.”

Lady Justice Aboud also reminded all African Union Member States that the African Court is their baby, stressing that “you had established it for a purpose—to assist you in meeting your international human rights obligations and contribute to the socio-economic and political development of the continent.

“The only way the African Court can do this is if Member States give it the necessary support to enable it to effectively discharge its mandate. This support, apart from the financial and human resources needed, includes ratification of the Protocol, the deposit of the Declaration, and compliance with decisions of the African Court.”

The African Court President challenged African governments to put human rights at the centre of socio-economic and political discourse.

“As we embark on the institutional reform, we must also have a rethink of the role we want human rights to play and how we perceive the role of human rights bodies in the new African dispensation.

“We must not only talk the talk; we must be prepared to walk the walk,” Lady Justice Aboud noted.

Among the high-profile personalities who participated in the ceremony were President William Samoei Ruto of Kenya, who was represented by Justin Muturi, Attorney General of Kenya; Pindi Chana, Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs of the United Republic of Tanzania, who was also represented by Dr. Khatibu Kazumgu, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry; and Justice Modibo Sacko, Vice-President of the African Court.

Others are Judges of the African Court; Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child; Presidents of International and Regional Courts; Government officials; Judges of International, Regional, and National Courts; and the Registrar of the African Court.

The rest are members of the judicial corps of Tanzania, representatives of Bar Associations, civil society organisations, members of academia, members of the media, and other stakeholders involved in the work of the Court and the protection of human rights on the continent.

The ceremony commenced with a solemn procession of honourable judges of the African Court.