In a ceremony held on October 6, 2026, in Abuja, Nigeria, five new judges of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice took their oath of office. The swearing-in was presided over by the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The new judges are Désiré Henri Aihou from Benin, Awa Bah from Gambia, Charlyne M. Brumskine from Liberia, Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu from Nigeria, and Yaouza Ouro-Sama from Togo.
The new judges have committed to discharging their duties with independence, impartiality, and integrity, in accordance with the legal and institutional texts governing the Court. President Faye urged them to uphold their oath and contribute to the consolidation of the Court's achievements and modernization, ensuring more effective and accessible justice for citizens. He emphasized the importance of the Court's role in addressing the region's political, economic, security, and environmental challenges.
President Faye highlighted the Court's responsibility in ensuring compliance with ECOWAS treaties and other legal instruments, as well as protecting rights within the community. The Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council and President of the Senegalese Supreme Court, Judge Mouhamadou Mansour Mbaye, congratulated the new judges and encouraged them to exercise their mandate with independence, impartiality, integrity, and courage.
Judge Mbaye stressed that judicial independence is not a privilege but a fundamental guarantee for litigants, emphasizing the need for constant independence, irreproachable impartiality, and unblemished integrity. ECOWAS Commission President, General Birame Diop, paid tribute to the outgoing judges for their contributions to the Court's functioning and community jurisprudence development.
General Diop called on the new judges to uphold their oath as a commitment to serving the community and its citizens with integrity, impartiality, and professional conscience. He reaffirmed the Commission's support for the Court. The new judges replace their predecessors whose terms had expired.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by representatives of ECOWAS member states, institutions, the diplomatic corps, judicial authorities, jurists, and members of the press. The event marked a significant milestone in the Court's history, as it continues to play a vital role in promoting regional justice and cooperation.
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice is a key institution in the region, responsible for ensuring the rule of law and protecting human rights. The Court's work has a direct impact on the lives of millions of people in West Africa, and the new judges will play a crucial role in shaping its future.
Key points
- The new judges of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice have been sworn in for a non-renewable four-year term.
- The judges have committed to upholding their oath and contributing to the Court's modernization and effectiveness.
- The swearing-in ceremony was presided over by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who emphasized the importance of the Court's role in addressing regional challenges.
