Sierra Leone Commits to Abide by ECOWAS Court Rulings

By: Christian Conteh

Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, has underscored his country’s unwavering commitment to abiding by judgments handed down by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court. This reiteration came during the official opening of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice’s International Conference on Monday, May 13, 2024.

The conference, held at the prestigious Bintumani Conference Centre in Aberdeen, spanned from May 13th to May 16th, 2024, and revolved around the theme “Enhancing the Role, Relevance, and Effectiveness of the ECOWAS Court of Justice through the Strengthening of Synergies between the Court and National Stakeholders.”

Addressing the gathering, the Honourable President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Edward Amoako Asante, emphasized the pivotal role the court plays as the principal legal organ of the ECOWAS community. He stressed its responsibility in ensuring the observance of law and justice in the interpretation and application of the Treaty and associated Protocols and Conventions.

“The intention of the Court in choosing this theme is to generate constructive discussions around the strengths and weaknesses of the Court’s relationship with various national stakeholders and explore practical solutions that can be adopted to strengthen such relationships in the interest of the Community”.

He further noted that, “The Court is not an appellate Court over national courts of Member States and that the Court does not review in abstracto, the national laws of Member States. We are therefore not in competition with the national courts. We also rely on the national courts for the enforcement of the judgments of the ECOWAS Court of Justice”.

President Bio, while delivering his keynote address, highlighted Sierra Leone’s historical commitment to the ECOWAS Treaty, dating back to its founding in May 1975. He emphasized the crucial significance of cooperation and integration among West African nations for regional prosperity and stability. President Bio lauded the ECOWAS Court’s role in upholding justice, fairness, and the rule of law across the region.

“Sierra Leone was one of the founding members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in May 1975 and she remains firmly committed to the ideals and aspirations of the ECOWAS Treaty The need for cooperation and integration amongst our people in West Africa requires our concerted and best efforts,” President Bio said.

Adding that, “In Sierra Leone, we are steadfast in our commitment to upholding human rights, promoting good governance, and ensuring access to justice for all our citizens. We recognise the critical role of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in safeguarding these principles and providing recourse to those whose rights have been violated.”

As the conference unfolded, Professor Ernest Kofi Abotsi, a distinguished guest speaker, commended the ECOWAS Court’s progress in advancing the rule of law in West Africa. He particularly praised the court’s openness to critique, foreseeing its potential to become a global model for community justice.

“I have observed with a great deal  of satisfaction the sustained progress of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice towards entrenching the rule of law in West Africa, but even more importantly, the brazen desire of the Court to embrace critiques in its evolutionary process. Having participated in past deliberations of this conference, I am tempted to say without equivocation that the Court and its president are on a forward march to developing an institution that may become the vanguard and epicenter of community justice within ECOWAS and a model the world will replicate years to come,” he said.

Adding that, “the presence of the court is a means of perpetuating the rule of law within the community legal order. The elaborate jurisprudence of the court serves to develop community law but also ensures that the political decisions of ECOWAS as a group are tampered with and constrained by the rule of law.”

In his intervention, Honourable Justice Nicholas Colin Browne-Marke, the Acting Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, addressed the practical challenges of enforcing ECOWAS Court judgments. He underscored the need for robust mechanisms ensuring the execution of court decisions, pointing out the lack of an appellate structure as a notable obstacle to justice delivery.

The conference provided a crucial platform for comprehensive dialogue aimed at strengthening the ECOWAS Court’s role and its relationship with national stakeholders. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on advancing regional integration, cooperation, and the promotion of human rights across West Africa. The event underscored the collective commitment of ECOWAS member states towards fostering a more just, inclusive and equitable society in the region.