Tanzania Commended After Pledge to Build Permanent Headquarters for African Court

By GNA 

June 13, 2023

Lady Justice Imani Daud Aboud, the President of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, has praised the Tanzanian government for keeping its pledge to build the Pan-African Judicial Body’s permanent headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

In a statement forwarded to the Ghana News Agency, Lady Justice Aboud said, “On June 2, 2023, the government of Tanzania officially handed over the construction site to the designated constructors; an act demonstrating its commitment to the African Court”.

In June 2022, the Tanzanian government set aside Tshs 4,000,000,000, or roughly US$1.7 million, towards the construction of the African Continental Court’s permanent headquarters.

The government added a budgetary contribution to the construction in of Tshs 5,400,000 ($2 million) in June 2023, as the project would cost about Tshs 61 billion, or around $25,792,811, in total.

Justice Aboud emphasised that Tanzania’s commitment to keeping its promise to build a permanent headquarters for the African Court was during the site transfer event at the LakiLaki region, 25 kilometres outside of Arusha town.

She expressed the hope that the African Court would be preparing to occupy its new head office within the next 24 months.

Lady Justice Aboud explained that the African Court currently conducted its businesses from a temporary office space housed within the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) structures, while the construction of the permanent location was ongoing.

“The construction of the African Court’s permanent premises in Arusha signifies a significant milestone towards enhancing the Court’s institutional capacity and promoting the rule of law within the African continent,” she said.

African nations founded the African Court to guarantee the defence of citizens’ and peoples’ rights in Africa.

The duties of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights are strengthened and complemented by it.

It was created in accordance with Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court (the Protocol), which was adopted in June 1998 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, by Member States of the former Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

On January 25, 2004, the Protocol went into effect, however the African Court began its official business in July 2006 in Addis Ababa and relocated to its present location in Arusha, Tanzania, a year later.

Eleven judges who are nationals of African Union Member States are appointed to the African Court, which meets four times a year for regular sessions and on occasion for extraordinary sessions.