The Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government and President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, presided over the swearing-in of five new Judges of the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a four-year, non-renewable term in Abuja, Nigeria, on 6 October 2026.
The ceremony brought together H.E. General Birame Diop, President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Hadja Mémounatou IBRAHIMA, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, H.E. Cheikh NIANG, Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad of Senegal, Hon. Justice Mouhamadou Mansour Mbaye, Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President and Judges of the Community Court of Justice, members of the Judicial Council, representatives of Member States and other distinguished guests.
In his address, President Faye urged the newly sworn-in Judges to remain guided by their oath of office throughout their tenure, stressing the responsibility entrusted to them in upholding the credibility of the Community justice system. He underscored that “the reputation of the Court depends on the quality of its decisions and the trust it inspires.”
President Faye further called on the new Judges to consolidate the achievements of the Court and contribute to its continued modernisation in line with the evolving realities of the Community. He stressed the need for Community justice to be increasingly effective, accessible and people-centred, particularly in the face of the political, economic, security and environmental challenges confronting the region.
The five new Judges, Hon. Justice Désiré Henri AIHOU of Benin, Hon. Justice Awa BAH of The Gambia, Hon. Justice Charlyne M. BRUMSKINE of Liberia, Hon. Justice Henrietta Uzoamaka DIDIGU of Nigeria and Hon. Justice Yaouza OURO-SAMA of Togo, took their oath of office, solemnly committing themselves to discharging their responsibilities with independence, impartiality and integrity.
Congratulating the new Judges, Hon. Justice Mouhamadou Mansour Mbaye, Chairman of the ECOWAS Judicial Council and First President of the Supreme Court of Senegal, emphasised the weight of the responsibility entrusted to them and the fundamental importance of judicial independence, impartiality and integrity in the administration of justice.
He recalled that the independence of the judge is not a privilege, but a fundamental guarantee owed to the litigant, stressing that the independence of the new Judges must remain constant, their impartiality beyond question and their integrity beyond reproach.
In his welcome address, H.E. General Birame Diop, President of the ECOWAS Commission, paid tribute to the outgoing Judges for their contribution to the development of Community jurisprudence, access to justice and the protection of human rights.
He described the oath of office as a solemn commitment to serve the Community and its citizens with integrity, impartiality and conscientiousness. He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to supporting the Community Court in the discharge of its mandate and called for strengthened cooperation among ECOWAS institutions, Member States and national courts.
The President of the Commission urged the new Judges to uphold the highest standards of judicial conduct and to place the interests of the Community and its citizens at the heart of their responsibilities.
The swearing-in ceremony marks an important step in the continued strengthening of the ECOWAS Community justice system. It reaffirms the central role of the Community Court of Justice in upholding the rule of law, protecting fundamental rights and consolidating the Community legal order, while strengthening public confidence in regional justice.
At a time when West Africa continues to face complex political, economic and security challenges, the effective functioning of Community institutions remains essential to advancing the principles and objectives of regional integration. The new Judges therefore assume office with a renewed responsibility to contribute, through independent, impartial and credible justice, to peace, stability, the protection of rights and the consolidation of the ECOWAS Community.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
