The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Judicial Council held a three-day sub-committee meeting on the enforcement of the judgements of the Community Court of Justice in Dakar, Senegal, from April 23rd to 25th, 2024. The meeting aimed to examine rules and texts related to the enforcement of the Court’s judgments and explore the possibility of establishing an Appeals Chamber.
In his opening remarks, the President of the Chamber of the Supreme Court of Senegal, Hon. Justice Jean Louis Paul Toupane, welcomed the subcommittee members and emphasized the importance of the gathering. He stated, "The meeting is meant to reflect on improving mechanisms aimed at creating a dynamic and functional Community Court of Justice." Hon. Justice Toupane also highlighted, "The Court of Justice is an essential pillar of our community’s institutional system."
The subcommittee focused on addressing barriers hindering the enforcement of Court judgments, including the rule on exhausting local remedies and the lack of avenues for reviewing Court decisions. As the Court expands its mandate to cover human rights issues, it has set legal precedents on various human rights topics.
The outcomes of the subcommittee meetings will be presented to the Judicial Council, which will then forward recommendations to the Heads of State and Government through the Council of Ministers.
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