The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights recently undertook a three-day sensitization mission to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.
The main aim of the Court’s outreach visits is to strengthen the protection of human rights in Africa.
Specifically, the aim is to make the Court better known, to initiate discussions with the Member States with a view to ratifying the Protocol and depositing the Declaration giving individuals and NGOs direct access to the Court, and to inform potential applicants of the procedure applicable before the Court.
President of the Court, Honourable Judge Imani Daud Aboud, Judge Modibo Sacko, Vice-President and staff of the Registry of the court were part of the delegation.
As part of its
mission, the delegation of the Court met with high-ranking government officials including the president of the Republic H.E Carlos Vila Nova.
The primary goal of the outreach visit was to initiate a constructive dialogue with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe for the latter to consider ratifying the Protocol establishing the African Court and the submission of the Declaration under Article 34(6) of the Protocol.
There was also a request by the African Court to engage with relevant human rights stakeholders in the country on the same mission.
The court which meets four times a year in Ordinary session and Extra-ordinary session is composed of eleven Judges, nationals of Member States of the African Union elected in their individual capacity.
