Asmara — The Minister of Justice, Ms. Fawzia Hashim, said that endeavors are being exerted towards promoting judicial service through enhancement of community magistrates. She made the statement in connection with a seminar conducted with government and PFDJ officials, members of the congress, as well as Associations and community representatives.

Pointing out that the seminar is aimed at integration of endeavors as regards reinforcement of community-based judicial approach, Ms. Fawzia explained that community magistrates are playing vital role in settling legal cases at minimum energy and time. She further gave extensive briefings on measures taken in the implementation of the adopted proclamations as regards execution of verdicts.

The Minister also gave further explanation pertaining to Proclamation No.167/2012 that was adopted with a view to reinforcing the work of community magistrates, besides highlighting accomplishments made by the Ministry vis-à-vis timeliness, openness and objectivity. The Ministry has mapped out long-term and short-term programs with a view to ensuring better service through fortifying accountability of judicial bodies, and stakeholders are called upon to collaborate to this end, Ms. Fawzia explained.

The participants of the seminar lauded the Ministry's endeavors towards the strengthening of community-based judicial service, and voiced readiness to step up participation in this regard.

The Ministry is also seriously engaged in a venture of extending the geographical outreach of community magistrates, the organizational structure of which is highly dependent on that of Area Administrations. Currently, there exist 28 courts, as well as 402 community magistrates in the country, according to reports.