Addis Ababa – 2 April 2015: the African Union and the Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa (CCJA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will establish a partnership with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of both parties in their efforts to promote democracy, good governance, human and peoples’ rights, constitutionalism, fair and free elections and rule of law in Africa.
Under the MOU the Commission and CCJA shall cooperate closely and undertake joint actions and activities to implement the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the 2002 African Union Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and other relevant instruments.

Professor Vincent Nmehielle, the AU Legal Counsel and Professor Theodore Holo, President of the Constitutional Court of Benin and President of CCJA, signed the MOU on 2 April 2015 at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in the presence of Mr. Naïm Akibou Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Benin to the African Union, a Representative of the Permanent Mission of Algeria to the AU, Mr. Calixte Mbari representing the Department of Political Affairs and other Officials of the Commission.

Under the terms of the MOU, the overall objective of the Partnership shall be to strengthen the institutional ties between the Commission, through the Office of the Legal Counsel and the Department of Political Affairs as well as other relevant Departments of the Commission, and CCJA in the field of democracy, good governance, human and peoples’ rights, constitutionalism, fair and free elections and rule of law.

The objectives of the Partnership shall be achieved through:

Ø Granting CCJA an observer’s status to the AU, as an organization made up of institutions of Member States of the AU;

Ø Regular consultations between the Commission and CCJA on policies and procedures;

Ø Joint training programmes and workshops;

Ø Development and implementation of joint projects in the areas covered by this MoU.