A high-level delegation from the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, led by its Honourable President, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, will arrive in Monrovia, Liberia, for a week-long outreach programme and legal clinic from November 10-16, 2025.
The initiative forms part of the Court's ongoing efforts to bring justice closer to ECOWAS citizens and to commemorate 50 years since the establishment of ECOWAS.
According to a statement from the Court, the outreach aims to increase public awareness and visibility of the Community Court, explaining its mandate, jurisdiction, access procedures, and the impact of its jurisprudence on citizens and the sub-region.
"The Community Court of Justice belongs to the people of West Africa," said Justice Gonçalves. "Our mission is to ensure that citizens understand their rights under the ECOWAS legal framework and know how to access justice through the Court."
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The sensitisation activities will include presentations, discussions, interviews, and interactive sessions with various stakeholders. These engagements are designed to promote dialogue and strengthen the link between the Court and the citizens it serves.
A key component of the programme is the Legal Clinic, which offers a direct platform for interaction between the Court's delegation and community members seeking information or legal advice about how to approach the Court.
The outreach is open to judges, government officials, diplomats, lawyers, academics, civil society organisations, human rights advocates, law students, partners, the media, and other interest groups across ECOWAS Member States.
The week-long activities in Liberia will commence with a courtesy visit to His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia, and other senior government officials. This will be followed by a town hall meeting with various stakeholders on November 12, 2025, at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town. A special forum for lawyers and law students will then be held on November 13, 2025, at the University of Liberia Auditorium.
Subsequently, a Judicial Dialogue will bring together judges from the Liberian Judiciary and their counterparts from the ECOWAS Court of Justice to exchange experiences and explore ways to strengthen judicial cooperation in the sub-region.
The Legal Clinic, open to the general public, will take place from November 14-15, 2025, at the Ministerial Complex, beginning at 3:00 PM. The programme will conclude with a press conference and media appearances aimed at further sensitising citizens about the Court's mandate and accomplishments.
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"This outreach allows us to meet citizens where they are, listen to their concerns, and guide them on how the ECOWAS Court can protect their rights," Justice Gonçalves added. "Access to justice must not be a privilege -- it is a right that every ECOWAS citizen should be empowered to exercise."
The ECOWAS Court has held similar outreach programmes in Benin, Ghana, Togo, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and several Nigerian cities including Ibadan and Lagos. Following the Liberia visit, the delegation will proceed to Lomé, Togo, from November 16-22, 2025, for a similar outreach and legal clinic.
Established under Articles 6 and 15 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, the Community Court of Justice was founded to ensure the effective interpretation and application of ECOWAS laws. The Protocol relating to the Court was adopted in 1991, and the first set of judges were appointed in 2001.
The Court performs four core functions: serving as the Community Court responsible for interpreting and applying the ECOWAS Revised Treaty and other Community texts; acting as an Administrative Tribunal for ECOWAS public officials; functioning as an Arbitration Tribunal; and serving as a Human Rights Court that ensures protection of citizens' rights across the sub-region.
