Kampala, Uganda - October 30, 2019. ‘Beyond pursuing our noble agenda for greater enjoyment of civil rights and political liberties, we have to redouble our efforts to ensure that Africans enjoy the right to food, the right to safe water and sanitation, the right to housing, the right to education, the right to health, the right to clean environment’, said Mr. Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) at opening of the 4th African Judiciary Dialogue in Kampala, Uganda.
According to the Deputy Chairperson, ‘the protection and promotion of human and peoples’ rights, is fundamental to the realization of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa as envisaged in the AU Agenda 2063’. He urged members of the Judiciary at all levels to collectively work together to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa.

‘As we implement Agenda 2063, we must admit that our continent faces challenges of promotion and protection of human and peoples' rights. We have to do our best to advance rights that address the root causes of underdevelopment, poverty, integrity, inequality, marginalization, and exclusion’, he said.

The Deputy Chairperson called on Member States to ratify, domesticate, integrate and implement all AU treaties on human rights and shared values treaties and to fully implement all decisions and recommendations made by all AU judicial organs.
The fourth (4th) Africa Judicial Dialogue organized by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR), under the auspices of the African Union, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Uganda. The forum took place from October 30 to November 1, 2019, under the theme: “Tackling Contemporary Human Rights Issues: The Role of the Judiciary in Africa”

The three-day event brought together judicial officers including Chief Justices, Presidents of Supreme and Constitutional Courts from the 55 AU member states, as well as Regional and International judicial bodies and participants from Ugandan Courts to share experiences and challenges, best practices and to identify major human right issues currently facing the continent, and to devise ways of addressing them.

H.E Gen. Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, in his address, informed the meeting that the fundamental problems faced by man were ‘nature oppressing man and man oppressing man’. He noted that man's ability to innovate and address both challenges was such that Africans as a race have historically never mastered their destiny as a result of colonialism.

President Museveni also advised the Judiciary against the wholesale and uncritical importation of the western judicial system. He stressed that the African traditional system of adjudication tended towards creating harmony. He, therefore, appealed to members of the Judiciary to take into cognizance the preservation of traditional practices unique to Africa adding that; ‘By integrating the two systems, you stand a chance of making original contributions to man’s existential challenges and preserving justice’.
AfCHPR is a Continental Court established by the Member States of the African Union to ensure the protection of human and peoples’ rights on the continent.

The Court commenced its operations in 2006 and has its permanent seat in Arusha, Tanzania. So far, 30 African countries have ratified the Protocol. Only nine have deposited the Declaration required to allow their citizens direct access to the original jurisdiction Court.
Much more work remains to be done to allow African citizens the full enjoyment of these fundamental human rights.

For further information contact
Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dic@africa-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

Esther Azaa Tankou, Directorate of Information and Communication, AUC Tel. +251 911361185, E-mail: yamboue@africa-union.org

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