US government donates law books to African Court
The United States of America has donated law books to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) as part of its tenth anniversary celebration in Arusha, Tanzania.
The books, presented by Ms Virginia Blaser, the USA Chargé d’Affaires, at Tanzania, are to support the work of the African Court.
They were received by a team of African Court Officials, who included Justice Sylvain Ore, the Court’s President; Justice Ben Kioko, the Vice President and Dr Robert Eno, the Court’s Registrar.
Justice Ore told the Ghana News Agency, in an interview, that the continental Court was established by African countries to ensure the protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa.
It complements and reinforces the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He commended the US Embassy in Tanzania for the support, especially as the Court marked its decade from November 21 to 22.
The African Court was established by virtue of Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
It was adopted by the Member States of the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in June 1998.
The Court officially started its operations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in November 2006, and in August 2007, it moved to its seat in Arusha.
As at October 2016, the Court had received 119 applications and finalised 32 cases.
Currently, the Court has 87 pending cases and four Requests for Advisory Opinion.
Source: GNA