ECOWAS Court proposes reforms to strengthen regional justice
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Justices and participants at a conference in Dakar, Senegal, proposed significant changes to the ECOWAS Court of Justice, including creating an Appeal Division and improving how the court enforces its rulings.
The conference examined issues of justice, innovation, human rights, and regional integration in West Africa. Participants agreed that establishing an Appeal Division would require changes to the court’s foundational treaty and a clear definition of its powers and procedures.
The group acknowledged that building this new division will demand political support and sufficient funding, and won’t automatically fix the existing problem of low compliance with the court’s judgments. Currently, only 18 to 22 percent of the court’s rulings are fully implemented by ECOWAS member states. Participants identified several reasons for this low rate, including the court’s limited power to compel compliance, a lack of domestic laws supporting the court’s decisions, and resistance from some national courts.
To address these issues, the conference recommended increased diplomatic pressure on non-compliant countries and the creation of a regional monitoring system to track implementation. They also proposed a fund to compensate victims of violations, financed by contributions from the ECOWAS Community levy. Beyond these reforms, the conference addressed broader issues like data protection, environmental justice, and the protection of refugees, urging stronger safeguards for digital rights and increased accountability for environmental damage.
