Arusha, 28 May 2025: The President of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR), Hon. Justice Blaise Tchikaya and the Vice President, Hon. Lady Justice Chafika Bensaoula, on Friday, 15 May 2026, paid a courtesy call on the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In a separate meeting, the Bureau of the Court also met with the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, H.E. Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi.
The visits were part of the Court’s continued engagement with African Union leadership and provided an opportunity to share updates on the work of the Court, particularly as it marks its 20th Anniversary of service in protecting human and peoples’ rights in Africa.
During the meetings, Hon. Justice Tchikaya highlighted key issues affecting the work of the Court, including the need to make it easier for individuals and communities to access justice, encourage more countries to support the Court’s mandate and ensure that its decisions are implemented.
The leadership of the Court further addressed broader structural challenges, including the need to provide the Court with adequate resources to undertake its mandate and the ideal structure of the Court with regard to the ongoing African Union institutional reforms. Hon. Justice Tchikaya implored the Chairperson to ensure that reforms strengthen rather than weaken the AU’s human rights architecture.
The President of the Court also outlined some of the key challenges hindering the Court’s work such as the limited number of ratifications of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Court Protocol), currently 34 out of 55 AU Member States, and the fact that only seven (7) of those have the declaration under Article 34(6) of the Court’s Protocol in effect, which allows individuals and NGOs direct access to the Court.
In response, His Excellency the Chairperson of the African Union Commission commended the African Court’s vital role in advancing human rights on the continent and undertook to use his Good Offices to engage with Member States that have not yet ratified and domesticated the Court’s Protocol to do so in the interest of effective protection and promotion of human rights.
“We will continue to work with Member States to strengthen support for the Court, including encouraging wider ratification of its Protocol and full implementation of its decisions, so that it can effectively serve the people of Africa,” he said.
In the meeting with the Deputy Chairperson of the African Commission, H.E. Amb. Selma Malika Haddadi, the Court provided updates on its internal structure within the context of ongoing African Union reforms.
The President of the Court highlighted the high cost of multilingual proceedings, which are necessary to ensure fairness to all parties, costs for replacement of staff and additional costs linked to the upcoming use of its permanent premises in Arusha, and therefore called for predictable and adequate funding to support its mandate.
In her remarks, the Deputy Chairperson welcomed the updates provided by the leadership of the Court and expressed appreciation for its continued engagement within the African Union reform process. She underscored the importance of ensuring that the Court remains effective and well-supported in carrying out its mandate.
The Bureau also held discussions with a few members of the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC), who are also Ambassadors of their respective Member States, where it sought their continued support in strengthening the Court’s work, including promoting ratification of its Protocol, ensuring implementation of its decisions and enhancing its overall effectiveness within the African Union system.
The PRC members called on included Ambassadors of Algeria, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, South Sudan, Zimbabwe.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
- The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) is a continental court established by African Union Member States to ensure the protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa.
- The Court complements and reinforces the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
- The Court is composed of eleven Judges, nationals of Member States of the African Union elected in their individual capacity. The Court meets four times a year in Ordinary Sessions and may hold Extra-Ordinary Sessions.
- The Court’s mandate includes hearing cases and disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as any other human rights instrument ratified by the concerned States.
Further information on the Court can be obtained from www.african-court.org
For further inquiries: Ms. Grace Wakio Kakai, Deputy Registrar – Registrar@african-court.org
For media inquiries: Chipiliro Kansilanga-NGUE, Senior Information & Communication Officer & Head of Communication Unit Chipiliro.Kansilanga@african-court.org
