President John Dramani Mahama has called on African Union member states to take decisive steps to strengthen and fully empower the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, urging countries that have not yet ratified the Court’s Protocol to do so without delay.
Delivering the keynote address at the official opening of the 2026 Judicial Year and the Court’s 20th Anniversary in Arusha, President Mahama stressed that Africa needs an independent judicial institution “that serves all but is beholden to none.”
He assured member states that they have “nothing to fear” from the Court, describing it as a guardian of justice, accountability, and human dignity across the continent.
He appealed to governments to respect and implement the Court’s judgments in good faith, warning that the credibility of Africa’s human rights architecture depends on compliance.
The President further encouraged countries to make the necessary declarations allowing individuals and non-governmental organisations direct access to the Court, noting that broader access would strengthen protections for ordinary citizens.
“Now is the time,” he declared, calling for deeper political will and collective commitment to ensure that, in the next two decades, the Court emerges as a leading international judicial body and a model for other regions.
President Mahama emphasised that empowering the Court is not merely a legal obligation, but a moral responsibility to safeguard the rights and dignity of present and future generations of Africans.
LISTEN TO PRESIDENT MAHAMA IN THE AUDIO BELOW:
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/Ahotoronline.com | Ghana 🇬🇭