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05.06.2017 Social News

African Court scales-up national Judiciaries' engagement

By GNA
African Court scales-up national Judiciaries' engagement
05.06.2017 LISTEN

Accra, June 5, GNA - The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights is to scale-up engagement with African Union (AU) Member State Judiciaries in its pursuit to enhance the protection of human rights on the continent.

The African Court would therefore use the platform of the third Continental Judicial Dialogue slated for November and to be hosted by Cote d'Ivoire to further enhance the relationship between the Court and National Judiciaries.

The African Court is a continental court established by African Union to ensure the protection of human and peoples' rights in Africa and complements and reinforces the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.

It was established by virtue of Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charteron Human and Peoples' Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, (the Protocol) which was adopted by Member States of the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou,

Burkina Faso, in June 1998. The Protocol came into force on 25 January 2004.

Meanwhile in a congratulatory letter to Ghana's Chief Justice Nominee, Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo, signed by the President of the African Court Justice Sylvain Ore the court extended the members facilitation to Ghana's Chief Justice.

'It is with great pleasure that I learnt of your appointment as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana. On behalf of all my colleagues, staff of the court and on my personal behalf, I wish to express our heartfelt congratulations to you as you assume this noble task.

'While wishing you good health and success in your new position, please accept Her Ladyship the assurance of my highest consideration,' the letter addressed to Justice Akuffo and made available to the Ghana News Agency stated.

Justice Akuffo was first elected as an African Court Judge in 2006 for a two-year term and re-elected in 2008 for a six-year term and was later elected as Vice-President of the African Court in September 2008 for a two-year term and re-elected in September 2010 for a final two-year term.

Justice Akuffo was elected as the President of the African Court on September 18, 2012 for a two-year term.

Justice Sophia A. B. Akuffo was the third President of the African Court. The first was Justice Gérard Niyungeko of Burundi who served from 2006-2008; and 2010-2012; and the second was Justice Jean Mutsinzi of Rwanda from 2008-2010.

GNA

By Francis Ameyibor, GNA

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