MONROVIA – The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to launch a week-long outreach programme and legal clinic in Liberia from November 10 to 16, 2025, aimed at deepening public understanding of the Court’s mandate and strengthening access to regional justice mechanisms. The initiative will be led by the Court’s President, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, who arrives in Liberia at the head of a high-level delegation.
The programme seeks to educate Liberians about the Court’s role, jurisdiction, and operational procedures, while also highlighting how citizens can directly engage with and benefit from the Court’s services. Officials say the activities are designed to increase the Court’s visibility and help strengthen regional ownership by ensuring community members understand the relevance of its decisions and their impact on governance, human rights, and justice across West Africa.
This year’s outreach falls within the broader celebration of ECOWAS’ 50th anniversary and includes presentations, discussions, interviews, and other interactive engagements with various sectors of society. Organisers note that the legal clinic will serve as a vital platform where citizens can seek information, ask questions, and obtain guidance on accessing the Court or pursuing legal remedies within its jurisdiction.
Participation is open to a broad range of stakeholders, including government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society representatives, human rights advocates, academics, lawyers, judges, students, the media, and other interested groups. The ECOWAS Court emphasised that the activities are meant to strengthen collaboration between regional and national justice actors while providing practical avenues for legal empowerment.
The events will begin with a courtesy visit to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and other senior government officials. This will be followed by a major town hall meeting at the Ministerial Complex on November 12, where delegates will engage with community representatives and policymakers. On November 13, the University of Liberia will host a special forum for lawyers and law students, focusing on the Court’s jurisprudence and opportunities for greater professional engagement.
A judicial dialogue between Liberian judges and judges of the ECOWAS Court will also take place as part of efforts to strengthen regional judicial cooperation. The legal clinic, open to the general public, will run from November 14 at 3 p.m. through November 15 at the Ministerial Complex. The Court has also scheduled a press conference and media appearances to widen public outreach and ensure effective information dissemination.
The ECOWAS Court says the Liberia outreach is part of its annual effort to engage Member States. Similar programmes have already been conducted in Benin, Ghana, Togo, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and cities in Nigeria, including Ibadan and Lagos. After the Liberia event, another delegation will travel to Lomé, Togo, for a similar programme from November 16 to 22.
Established under Articles 6 and 15 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, the Community Court of Justice formally began operations after the appointment of its first judges in 2001. It carries a four-fold mandate: interpreting and applying the Revised Treaty and community laws, serving as an administrative tribunal for ECOWAS staff, acting as an arbitration forum, and adjudicating human rights violations across Member States.
The upcoming Liberia engagement underscores ECOWAS’ commitment to strengthening regional justice mechanisms and expanding public access to legal redress, especially at a time when human rights, democratic governance, and rule of law remain central to West Africa’s stability and development.
