A Joint retreat between AU Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and the African Court on Human and People’s Rights has been held. The meeting took place in Arusha from March 10-11.
The aim of this meeting according to the president of the African Court Hon. Justice Imani Daud Aboud was to enhance the effectiveness of the court and also improve on the protection of human rights on the continent.
“The retreat aimed to renew the atmosphere of trust, cooperation and confidence building” she said. The retreat comes amid concerns that some AU member states haven’t yet ratified the Banjul protocol that established this court and worse still, some members that had ratified the protocol have recently started withdrawing their membership.
The meeting was attended by judges of this court and relevant departments of the AU commission.
We understood that some of the other issues that were deliberated upon included how effectively has this court delivered, What governance procedures should be in place to ensure fair court process, What mechanisms should be in place to enforce court decisions, Facilitation to this court and how best to enhance collaboration between court, Member States and other organs.
This African Court has 11 judges and that it meets four times a year in ordinary sessions and may also hold an extraordinary session. As for the PRC, it comprises Permanent Representatives to the AU. In the case of Uganda, H.E Amb. Rebecca Amuge Otengo attended this meeting in her capacity as the country’s Permanent Representative to the African Union.
This international court was established by member states of AU to implement the provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights otherwise known as the Banjul Charter.
