President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal has pledged stronger support for the ECOWAS Court of Justice as a key institution for enforcing the rule of law, protecting citizens’ rights and strengthening confidence in the regional integration process.
Faye, who chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, made the commitment when he paid an official visit to the Community Court of Justice in Abuja on Tuesday.
His visit came as the regional bloc moves to strengthen its judicial arm, following the swearing-in of five new judges for a four-year, non-renewable tenure.
Addressing officials and staff of the Court, the Senegalese president described the institution as the principal judicial organ of ECOWAS, stressing its responsibility in advancing the rule of law, protecting human rights and contributing to regional stability.
He reaffirmed his support for the Court’s mandate, particularly its role in providing justice and safeguarding the rights of citizens across West Africa.
The emphasis on the Court’s role comes at a critical period for ECOWAS, with the regional organisation facing political, economic and security challenges that have increased attention on the effectiveness and credibility of its institutions. Faye, at the judges’ swearing-in ceremony, similarly urged the new judicial officers to act impartially and resist pressure in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Faye was accompanied on the visit by Senegal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cheikh Niang, and representatives of the Senegalese Embassy in Nigeria.
He was received by the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Anthony Oluwatosin Ogunjimi; President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves; and other senior officials of the Commission and Court.
Gonçalves described the visit as significant, noting that it was the first time a serving chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government had visited the Court in that capacity.
He said the visit underscored the importance attached to the Court within the institutional structure of ECOWAS and recognised its contribution to justice, the rule of law and the protection of citizens’ rights.
The Court has in recent times placed emphasis on strengthening regional justice, including improving access to justice, enforcement of its judgments and public confidence in its judicial processes.
Faye’s engagement with the Court therefore placed the institution at the centre of broader efforts to reinforce the judicial foundations of West African integration.
The Senegalese president also charged the newly sworn-in judges to allow their oath of office to guide their decisions and to discharge their duties with fairness, integrity and impartiality.
The five judges are Désiré Henri Aihou of Benin, Awa Bah of The Gambia, Charlyne M. Brumskine of Liberia, Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu of Nigeria and Yaouza Ouro-Sama of Togo.
Their appointment followed the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority held in Lungi, Sierra Leone, on July 19, 2026, with each appointed for a single four-year term.
