Arusha, 05 June 2025: The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) have taken a significant leap forward in strengthening their institutional relationship during the Second Complementarity Retreat, held in a hybrid format, from 2 to 3 June 2025 in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania.
The Retreat resulted in concrete outcomes that put their commitment to collaborate into concrete action, including new guidelines on submission and transfer of cases, an extended complementarity roadmap to 2028 and shared tools to track the implementation and impact of their decisions.
Co-chaired by Honourable Justice Modibo Sacko, President of the Court, and Honourable Remy Ngoy Lumbu, Chairperson of the Commission, the Retreat brought together Judges of the Court, Commissioners of the Commission and technical experts from both institutions, to discuss how to improve their complementary relationship and to consider their progress made in implementing the Complementarity Roadmap (2023-2025), adopted at their last Joint Retreat, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2022.
Among the key achievements highlighted were the implementation of staff exchanges among the Court and the Commission, which have strengthened mutual understanding in legal, administrative and registry functions.
The Court and Commission adopted several forward-looking commitments to further strengthen their complementarity including extending the Complementarity Roadmap to 2028 and integrating its objectives into their Strategic Plans for 2026–2028.
As part of their engagement with AU Member States, the Court and the Commission also resolved to work together to encourage broader ratification of key AU human rights treaties and declarations that allow individual access to the Court. They also committed to developing shared databases and reporting tools for more regular information sharing regarding the implementation and impact of their decisions.
Both institutions pledged to enhance their collaboration with AU organs, Member States and other key partners to ensure that the continental human rights system is practical, efficient and effective.
The Retreat concluded with the Court and the Commission reaffirming their united resolve to continue strengthening their relationship and to act as a cohesive force for justice, accountability and the protection of human rights across Africa.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
- The African Court on Human and People’s Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights are continental bodies established by Member States of the African Union to ensure the promotion (the Commission) and the protection (the Commission and the Court) of human and peoples’ rights in Africa.
- The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights is mandated by the African Charter to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights, interpret the Charter, and ensure its implementation across the continent.
- The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights complements the protective mandate of the Commission by delivering binding judicial decisions on human rights violations, thereby strengthening access to justice within the African human rights system.
- The Court and the Commission are composed of eleven Judges and eleven Commissioners, respectively. They are all 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 while the Commission holds two ordinary sessions each year and may hold extraordinary sessions.
Further information can be obtained from African Court website www.african-court.org
African Commission website: https://achpr.au.int/en
For further inquiries: Dr Robert Eno, Registrar – Robert.Eno@african-court.org
Abiola Idowu-Ojo, Executive Secretary – Idowu-Ojoa@AfricanUnion.org
For media inquiries: Chipiliro Kansilanga Ngue – Senior Information & Communication Officer
Chipiliro.Kansilanga@african-court.org Samantha Kambule – Senior Public Relations Officer
kambules@africanunion.org
