African Union celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of the Malabo Protocol

Share:

June 25, 2024

MEDIA ADVISORY

African Union celebrates the 10^th Anniversary of the adoption of the Malabo Protocol
INVITATION TO THE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

What: Celebration of the 10^th Anniversary of the adoption of the Malabo Protocol.

When: Tuesday, 25^th June 2024, from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm (EAT).

Where: Small Conference Hall 2, AU Headquarter, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Register in advance for this meeting:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYtcu6qpz4sG9x-f2nsTGl6v6rxVxuG0RB0#/registration

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Who: The African Union’s Office of the Legal Counsel in collaboration with the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU) and Atrocities Watch Africa (AWA).

Why: The Protocol on Amendments to the Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (Malabo Protocol) was adopted by the Twenty-third Ordinary Session of the Assembly, held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on 27^th June 2014, to play a key role in combating impunity in Africa. The Protocol extends the jurisdiction of the pending African Court of Justice and Human Rights (Merged Court) to a wide variety of crimes under international law and transnational crimes, including, but not limited to, the core crimes such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression and new categories of “international crimes” such as corruption and the illicit exploitation of natural resources. The adoption of the Malabo Protocol represents a significant step in the broader initiative to enhance accountability for international and transnational crimes. While the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the refinement of national judicial frameworks have, to date, advanced these efforts, effective accountability, especially within the continent, often remains elusive. By granting jurisdiction to the Merged Court over a broad spectrum of international crimes, the Malabo Protocol establishes a regional mechanism that will complement and enhance global efforts while asserting African ownership within the international justice landscape.

The African Union’s Office of the Legal Counsel has been instrumental in championing the transformative potential of the Malabo Protocol and advocating for its universal ratification. Through sustained advocacy efforts, the Republic of Angola recently became the first African Union Member State to ratify the Protocol on 31 May 2024, marking a significant step forward in advancing continental accountability and justice.

Against this context, it is vital to reinvigorate conversations about the Protocol and intensify efforts toward its ratification.

Objectives: The objectives of the celebration are to:

Reinvigorate discussions on the Malabo Protocol and explore its potential to advance accountability across the African continent.
Discuss the challenges delaying its ratification and identify strategies to address these challenges.
Advocate for its ratification and subsequent entry into force.
Launch a call for academic contributions to an edited volume reflecting upon the Malabo Protocol on the 10th Anniversary of its adoption.

Hashtags: #MalaboProtocol #10thAnniversary

Media representatives are invited to cover the Celebration of the 10^th Anniversary of the adoption of the Malabo Protocol on 25 June 2024.

For further information, kindly contact:

1. Ms. Mtendere Gondwe | Legal Officer, Office of the Legal Counsel | E-mail: gondwem@africa-union.org

2. Mr. Papa Mamadou Diop | Documentalist, Office of the Legal Counsel | E-mail: diopp@africa-union.org

3. Mr. Stephen Buabeng-Baidoo | Legal Associate, Office of the Legal Counsel | E-mail: baidoos@africa-union.org

For media inquiries, please contact:

Ms. Doreen Apollos | Senior Communication Officer | Information and Communications Directorate, African Union Commission | E-mail: apollosd@africa-union.org