African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights Unveils New Premises in Arusha, Tanzania

The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights has unveiled its new premises in Arusha, Tanzania, marking a significant milestone in its 20-year history. The court held its 20th Anniversary Colloquium at its seat in Arusha, Tanzania, to examine its contribution to human rights protection over the past two decades and consider priorities for its third decade. The event was initially supposed to take place at the newly built Court Premises but was moved due to the facility still needing final touches.

The construction of the new court building started during the tenure of Justice Imani Daud Aboud, one of the institution's Judges and the former President of the African Court. The Colloquium, held under the theme "Reflecting on the Past, Assessing the Present and Reimagining the Future of Human Rights Protection in Africa," took place in a hybrid format and included current and former Judges of the Court, representatives of the African Union, and judges from regional and international courts.

The Colloquium revisited defining moments in the Court's 20-year journey and examined how its landmark judgments and advisory opinions have shaped human rights law, influenced national laws, and strengthened accountability across Africa. Discussions focused on the challenges the Court must overcome in its third decade, including expanding ratification of its founding Protocol, widening access for individuals and non-governmental organisations, securing implementation of its judgments, and strengthening its resources and public visibility.

The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, the East African Court of Justice, and the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, convened for their 3rd Tripartite Judicial Dialogue in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania. The Dialogue aimed to enhance cooperation among Africa's Continental and Regional Courts and covered topics such as the implementation and monitoring of judicial decisions, institutional cooperation, environmental rights, and climate justice.

The 3rd Tripartite Judicial Dialogue provided an opportunity for the Courts to assess progress made in implementing recommendations from previous Dialogues, address challenges affecting the implementation of judicial decisions, and identify practical measures to strengthen institutional cooperation. The events were organized jointly by the three Courts in collaboration with partners, including the Raoul Wallenberg Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the United Nations Development Program.

The government of Tanzania has demonstrated its commitment to the construction of the new court building, allocating a budget of USD 1.7 Million in June 2022 and an additional USD 2 Million in June 2023. The estimated total cost for the project is about USD 25,792,811. The African Court currently operates from temporary offices located at the Tanzania National Parks buildings, having moved into Arusha in 2006.

The events in Arusha, Tanzania, are expected to produce practical recommendations to strengthen cooperation among the three Courts, improve the implementation of judicial decisions, and identify opportunities for future joint initiatives. The Dialogues take place as the African Court marks its 20th anniversary and the East African Court of Justice celebrates its 25th anniversary, with commemorative activities to follow.

Key points

• The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights has begun operating from its new premises in Arusha, Tanzania, as part of its 20th-anniversary celebrations.