A high-level mission of eminent African judges which was deployed by the Africa Judges and Jurists Forum (AJJF) has completed its visit to Senegal. Led by Chief Justice Emeritus Honourable David Maraga, of the Republic of Kenya, the mission comprised of Professor Danielle Darlan (Retired President of the Constitutional Court of the Central African Republic), and Judge Marcelline Claire Gbeha Afouda (Retired Vice President of the Constitutional Court of Benin). The delegation was supported by a team of experts, namely Dr. Justice Alfred Mavedzenge, and Dr. Sègnonna Horace Adjolohoun.
The delegation arrived in Dakar on the 7th of July and completed its engagements on the 12th of July 2024. The purpose of the visit by the delegation was to express solidarity with members of the Constitutional Council, the judiciary, the legal profession and the people of Senegal following the resilience and courage they demonstrated earlier this year when they enforced the Constitution during a challenging time for the country. The actions of the various stakeholders contributed to ensuring that the elections were held within the constitutionally stipulated deadline. In addition, the delegation sought to explore ways in which Africa Judges and Jurists Forum can support ongoing efforts to strengthen judicial independence and the rule of law in Senegal.
During its visit, the delegation met with the President of the Supreme Court, the full bench of the Constitutional Council, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice, Secretary General of the Legal bar association, eminent civil society leaders and academics. Several stakeholders engaged by the delegation have indicated that, although Senegal’s democracy has demonstrated resilience over the years, it remains fragile. Judicial independence being one of the pillars of democracy, strengthening and protecting the justice system is therefore imperative, as part of the process of rebuilding citizen trust in the country’s democratic processes and institutions. The Africa Judges and Jurists Forum’s delegation commends the government of Senegal for embarking on judicial reforms geared towards strengthening the rule of law. During its engagements, the delegation indicated the Africa Judges and Jurists Forum’s willingness to provide technical support to the various actors in the Senegalese justice ecosystem, as and when requested to do so.
Africa Judges and Jurists Forum will prepare and publish a full report on the visit by its delegation and the report will, amongst others, make recommendations to the government and other stakeholders on how some of the challenges affecting judicial independence and the rule of law in Senegal can be addressed. Africa Judges and Jurists is a network of eminent judges and jurists from across the continent of Africa, who are committed to promoting the rule of law as means for achieving Africa’s developmental goals set out in the African Union Agenda 2063.
For more information:
Martin Okumu-Masiga, Secretary General of AJJF, email: okumu-masiga@africajurists.org, mobile: +256 753 954 308, Twitter: @mokumas
Dr. Justice Alfred Mavedzenge, Programs Director, email: justice- mavedzenge@africajurists.org, mobile: +27 79 388 9990, Twitter: @Dr_JAMavedzenge