The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice plans to host a high-level bilateral meeting in Guinea, scheduled for March 2 to 4, 2026. This meeting is part of renewed efforts to enhance the execution of its judgments throughout Member States.
The three-day event, organized to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, aims to gather the Court’s representatives, the Competent National Authority (CNA) of Guinea, along with senior officials from the government and representatives from civil society to confront persistent hurdles in executing the Court’s rulings.
A key focus of the talks will be bridging the gap between judicial decisions and their implementation at the national level. Although the ECOWAS Court has issued significant judgments regarding human rights, governance, and community law, adherence to these rulings can be inconsistent across different regions.
The discussions in Guinea are intended to promote a more coordinated, transparent, and efficient legal enforcement framework. Participants will evaluate compliance levels, analyze procedural obstacles, and explore best practices that can foster uniform enforcement across the sub-region.
The agenda includes a specific forum aimed at reviewing the current state of the Court’s judgments enforcement in Guinea, as well as presentations concerning the Court’s enforcement strategies and the existing national legal frameworks. Civil society organizations will also be involved in direct dialogues with the Court to encourage accountability and broaden participation.
Throughout the visit, the delegation from the Court will make courtesy calls to prominent government officials, including the Minister for ECOWAS Affairs, and Ministers of Justice and Finance, as well as the President of the Supreme Court and the Speaker of Parliament. Meetings with the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission and the President of the Bar Association are also planned.
Leading the delegation is the Court’s President, Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, accompanied by Vice-President Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Justice Gberi- Bè Ouattara, and various directors and officials.
Past bilateral talks of this nature have previously taken place in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, reinforcing the Court’s strategy to institutionalize cooperation and strengthen the authority of its judgments across West Africa.
As ECOWAS celebrates fifty years of regional integration, this meeting in Guinea reflects a renewed commitment to ensuring that the proclamations of its judicial body are executed fully, thereby bolstering the rule of law and enhancing trust in the region’s justice systems.
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