Banjul: President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Ricardo Gon§alves, has announced that the validation of the court’s Harmonised Protocol will strengthen its capacity to effectively fulfill its regional justice delivery mandate. This announcement took place at a meeting of ECOWAS ministers of justice in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, where the focus was on validating two crucial instruments of the Community Court.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the two instruments under consideration for validation by the ministers are the Harmonised Protocol and the Arbitration Rules of the Community Court. The court’s president emphasized that adopting these instruments would ensure alignment with the Revised ECOWAS Treaty and the decisions of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.
He highlighted that adopting the protocol will bolster the court’s legal credibility, shape its future, and uphold the principles of justice, equity, and human rights that are fundamental to ECOWAS’ integration project. Gon§alves stated, “The Harmonised Protocol reflects lessons learned over more than two decades of judicial practice and ensures alignment with the Revised ECOWAS Treaty and decisions of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.”
The Gambia’s President, Adama Barrow, represented by Vice President Muhammed Jallow, also addressed the gathering, describing the meeting as a ‘historic milestone’ in reinforcing the ECOWAS Court’s mandate. He pointed out that the new Arbitration Rules would provide a credible regional mechanism for resolving commercial disputes, thus strengthening investor confidence and supporting the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Alpha Sesay, Chairman of ECOWAS Ministers of Justice and Sierra Leone’s Minister of Justice, praised the Court as a ‘beacon of justice and a symbol of collective commitment to regional integration and Rule of Law.’ He noted that the work being done would significantly impact the court’s role in the sub-region and enhance access to justice.
Dawda Jallow, The Gambia’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, in his keynote address, emphasized the importance of equipping ECOWAS with arbitration tools comparable to international standards. He remarked that the ECOWAS Court has the potential to become a continental hub for arbitration, thus the need to empower it to address regional human rights and economic disputes.
ECOWAS Resident Representative to The Gambia, Mrs. Miatta French, commended the court’s management for their efforts in streamlining the court’s work and enhancing its effectiveness. NAN reports that the Harmonised Protocol aims to integrate years of fragmented amendments into a comprehensive text defining the Court’s composition, jurisdiction, procedures, and enforcement mechanisms.
The consolidation seeks to eliminate inconsistencies and provide better clarity and greater legal certainty to Member States and citizens. The meeting, convened by the ECOWAS Commission and hosted by The Gambian Government, follows an experts meeting for reviewing the court’s Draft Harmonised Protocol and Arbitration Rules. Once validated by the ministers, the document will be submitted to the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government for adoption.