What ECOWAS Court plans for youths, academic institutions in Africa

The ECOWAS Court has pledged to deepen its engagement with the sub region’s youths and academic institutions to ensure a robust legal culture of justice, human rights and rule of law.

The President of the Court, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves, said this at the end of the maiden edition of the Moot Court competition of the Community Court on Saturday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, which began on Wednesday, had as its theme: “Promoting Regional Integration and Human Rights through Judicial Processes in West Africa.”

The competition brought together West African law students to simulate proceedings before the court, offering them firsthand exposure to an international tribunal’s working and the opportunity to refine their advocacy skills.

Gonçalves said that the community court had resolved to make the competition an annual flagship programme.

He also said that future editions of the competition would be expanded to include universities from all ECOWAS member states to truly reflect the bloc’s diversity and unity.

The court’s president explained that through such engagement, the court would demystify its work and plant the seeds of a robust regional legal culture that values justice, human rights, cooperation and rule of law.

“This event has made one thing abundantly clear; that the time has come for the ECOWAS Court of Justice to deepen its engagement with academic institutions and the youth of our region.

“In light of the overwhelming success of this pilot edition, I am pleased to announce that the court has resolved to make the Moot Court Competition an annual flagship programme.

“Future editions will expand to include universities across all ECOWAS Member States, truly reflecting the diversity and unity of our region,” he said.