Abuja, Nigeria – The ECOWAS Commission has taken a significant step towards enhancing regional integration and strengthening West Africa’s participation in global trade by organizing a two-day training workshop for judicial officials of the West African Court of Justice. Held from October 3rd to 4th, 2024, at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters, the workshop focused on the judiciary’s role in supporting the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) objectives and ECOWAS protocols.
The training aimed to equip judges, clerks, and judicial staff of the Community Court with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively interpret and apply dispute resolution mechanisms within the framework of the AfCFTA and ECOWAS. This initiative is designed to ensure legal consistency, transparency, and predictability, thereby promoting investor confidence and supporting market integration across the region.
Mr. Kolawole Sofola, Director of Trade at ECOWAS, speaking on behalf of the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, emphasized the crucial role of the ECOWAS Court in upholding the legal frameworks that underpin regional integration and trade liberalization. “The success of the AfCFTA will depend on our ability to resolve commercial disputes fairly and efficiently,” Sofola said. “The strength of our legal systems, including the capacity of the Community Court, will determine the success of deepening intra-regional and continental trade.”
Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, representing the ECOWAS Court of Justice, commended the Commission’s dedication to professional collaboration between ECOWAS institutions and Member States for the adoption of the AfCFTA. He highlighted the synergy between the AfCFTA and existing trade frameworks in ECOWAS, which facilitate the free movement of goods and services throughout the region. Koroma noted that the AfCFTA’s Dispute Resolution Mechanism (DRM) offers multiple options for dispute resolution, including adjudication, mediation, and arbitration, focusing on amicable settlements.
Professor Mohammed Ladan, former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), stressed the importance of the AfCFTA’s comprehensive agreement, which includes eight protocols on trade, investment, intellectual property, competition, digital trade, and gender and youth inclusion. He praised ECOWAS as a leader among African regional economic bodies for setting the pace of collaboration and empowerment, essential for ensuring legal clarity and guiding Member States in fulfilling their obligations under ECOWAS and AfCFTA agreements.
