MONROVIA – On Thursday, April 18, 2024, Liberia’s Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung hosted a high-level delegation from the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights at his office on Capitol Hill.
The delegation, led by Hon. Imani Daud Aboud, President of the court, included Cllr. Jeddi Mowbray Armah, Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Cllr. Dempster Brown, Chairman of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights.
The African Court delegation visited Monrovia to encourage Liberia to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Although Liberia signed the Protocol on June 9, 1998, it has not ratified it since.
Madam Aboud praised Liberia’s leadership in Africa and its commitment to good governance. She emphasized the importance of Liberia’s ratification, stating, “By signing the Protocol, Liberia will re-affirm its commitment to the rule of law and human rights, and give its citizens access to justice.”
Vice President Koung welcomed the delegation and confirmed President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr’s support for ratifying the Protocol soon. He emphasized that this ratification would demonstrate Liberia’s adherence to international norms and restore its standing among nations.
Koung also highlighted Liberia’s historical role in the establishment of the African Union (AU) and proposed the construction of a symbolic headquarters in Liberia to honor this legacy.
The African Court of Justice was declared in July 1979 at the Heads of State Summit in Monrovia and established in June 1998 through the Protocol. The Protocol became effective on January 25, 2004, and has been ratified by 34 countries. The Court serves as the judicial arm of the AU, dedicated to enforcing and protecting human rights, with eleven judges from AU member states.
