ECOWAS Ministers of Justice holds crucial meeting in Abuja

Accra, Oct. 5, GNA - Attorneys-General and Ministers of Justice from ECOWAS Member States began a three-day meeting from Monday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to consider the report of legal experts whose meeting ended at the weekend.

The report of the Technical Committee on Judicial and Legal Affairs, which met in Abuja for six days, is expected to include recommendations of the legal experts' deliberations on proposals for amendment to certain provisions of the Protocol relating to the Community Court of Justice; criteria for hosting ECOWAS institutions and agencies; improving the legal regime of ECOWAS Community Acts and rules of procedure of the Authority of Heads of State and Government as well as other Community institutions.

A statement from ECOWAS in Accra on Monday said the ministers' consideration of the proposals for amendment to certain provisions of the Protocol relating to the Court of Justice would be crucial. The proposal for the amendment calls for the establishment of an appeal procedure, which allows parties to a case to appeal against the decision of the Court.

It also calls for the modification of the jurisdiction of the Court in matters of human rights, in addition to urging more conditions for bringing cases to the Court.

This includes the requirement for exhausting all local remedies by applicants who are victims of human rights violation. The current practice allows individuals and corporate entities direct access to the Court on application for relief for violation of their human rights that occur in any ECOWAS member state, provided the application is not anonymous and is not before another international court.

"The amendment of such issues as the Rules of Procedures of the Authority of Heads of State and Government would generally offer the Heads of State a wide range of Community Acts, the use of which would be more appropriate in the administration of the affairs of the institution," the statement said.

It said an improvement in the legal regime of the Community was expected to ensure a more effective and speedy implementation of the Acts of the regional leaders and thus further accelerate the integration process. The statement said specific recommendations of the legal experts on the criteria for hosting ECOWAS agencies and institutions would help ensure equity and balance in the distribution of these agencies and institutions, among other considerations. 5 Oct. 09