ECOWAS Court President Justice Ricardo Gonçalves has appealed to the governments of ECOWAS member states to fully recognise the court’s authority and cooperate with it in enforcing the court’s judgements.
He made the appeal while declaring open the ECOWAS Court’s 2025/2026 Legal Year celebration, with the theme “ECOWAS Court and International Law: Expanding Access and Navigating Contemporary Challenges”, on Thursday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the annual event is usually held to mark the commencement of a new legal year and provide an opportunity to reflect on the court’s achievements, challenges, and future prospects.
It also serves as a forum for dialogue with stakeholders, like other ECOWAS institutions, member states, national courts, bar associations, academics, civil society and development partners, to chart the way forward.
The Community Court’s President, while noting that only about 30 per cent of the court’s judgements had been enforced, decried that the non-enforcement of judgements was the court’s formidable challenge.
“Some of the difficulties that we have encountered relating to the jurisdiction of the court include the persistence of non-enforcement of the court’s judgements.
“Now, you see, our processes should not just end in the presentation of an application to the court and a verdict delivered, but all this must translate into not just the text that regulates.
“Indeed, what credibility would a court have if their decisions were not enforced? It is only on this condition that the citizens of the community and the general public will continue to believe in this court,” he said.
According to him, community citizens, who sometimes come from far and wide to seek for justice to be done to them, deserve to see decisions enforced in good faith and timely.
Gonçalves, therefore, appealed to the administration of the community institutions to continue honouring their commitments by fully recognising the authority of the court and enforcing its decisions.
He said that, notwithstanding the court’s other challenges, such as financial constraints, like other community institutions, it recorded remarkable milestones the previous year.
The president explained that over the past year, the court registered 34 new cases, held a total of 79 court sessions, and delivered 54 judgements, with 112 cases pending.
Another milestone, he said, was the court’s adoption of an innovative electronic management of cases and the holding of secure virtual hearings, which strengthens access to justice and reduces geographical and logistical constraints.
He said that the court also held a maiden edition of its Moot Court competition for university law students in Nigeria that would later be expanded to other institutions across the sub-region.
Gonçalves stressed that, going forward, one priority that would guide the court’s action in the new legal year would be the expansion of access to justice through the implementation of the electronic case management system.
The second, he said, would be to increase collaboration with national courts, professional associations, and civil society organisations to address challenges and expand access to justice.
“Efficiency, transparency, and accountability will remain at the heart of our concerns,” he added.
Dr Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, said that expanding access to justice for all within the sub-region remained a top priority, and it must transcend borders, language barriers and socio-economic differences.
He described the ECOWAS Court as an indispensable pillar in regional integration architecture, ensuring that the rights of our citizens were protected and member states adhered to the principles binding them together.
Touray pledged the commission’s unwavering support to the court, adding that he would work tirelessly with member states, civil society and all stakeholders to enhance the court’s capacity and visibility.
“With regard to the resourcing of the Court, I am glad to report that the Commission is working closely with the Chair of the Council to make additional financial resources available to the Court,” he said.
Touray appealed to member states to give priority to compliance with and the enforcement of the court’s rulings to achieve an integrated West Africa, where the rule of law prevails.
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, described the ECOWAS Court as an essential partner in the great project of building a united, peaceful and law-governed West Africa and pledged collaboration.
She said the court was widely recognised as a pacesetter in judgements that shaped law, protected human rights, and guided states towards peace but has a poor judgement enforcement record.
“Yet, for all these achievements, only about 30 per cent of judgements have been effectively enforced. This gap threatens the credibility of our institution.
“Compliance is not a favour done to this Court. It is the fulfilment of a dignified promise made to the people of West Africa,” she added.
Justice Komba Kamanda, Sierra Leone’s Chief Justice and Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council, said that he was already working alongside his colleagues on the possibility of creating an ECOWAS Court of Appeal.
He said the council was already considering updating the procedural rules to address the challenges of enforcing ECOWAS Court judgements and deepening the relationship between the court and the council.
“We should also not lose sight of the fact that we need to take the court to the people in the region to get them to understand the nature and workings of the ECOWAS court through deliberate outreach programmes,” he said.
The President of Cape Verde, José Neves, who was a guest, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to regional integration and determination to pursue the initiatives that strengthen community justice.
“As we open today the legal year of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, we are standing under the banner of justice, which is an intangible force that sustains the order of the world and gives meaning to the collective life of nations,” he said. (NAN)
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