Algiers (Algeria), Nov. 22, GNA – Continuous capacity-building and professional development for judges and legal practitioners must be paramount to enhance their skills and knowledge, African judges and legal experts participating in the ongoing Sixth African Union Judicial Dialogue have advocated.
They used the judicial dialogue to examine existing initiatives and programmes aimed at enhancing their capacity and examine the capacity-building needs of judges and legal practitioners in integrating regional and international human rights jurisprudence.
Justice Dennis Dominic Adjei, a Judge of the African Court, moderated the section, while Dr. Hermenegildo Chambal, Judge and Lecturer of the Legal and Judicial Training of Mozambique, delivered a paper on the topic.
Among the distinguished panellists were Lady Justice Gertrude Araba Saaba Sackey Torkornoo, Chief Justice of Ghana; Professor Vanja Karth, Executive Director of the Judicial Institute for Africa; Justice Rosa Carlota Martins B. Vicente, Judge Constitutional Court of Cape Verde; Justice Rizine Robert Mzikamanda, Chief Justice of Malawi; and Prof. Ubena John Agatho, Judge of the High Court of Tanzania.
Speaking on Ghana’s judicial system and the essence of capacity-building, Lady Justice Sackey Torkornoo noted that the judicial power of Ghana is vested in the judiciary.
She said there were currently five levels of courts: district courts, circuit courts, High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court A 3-tiered appeals system exists within this 5-rung ladder, from the inferior courts to the High Court, and from the High Court to the Court of Appeal, and from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme.
She said the judiciary in Ghana had an established system for continuous training of judges and lawyers through the Judicial Training Institute, and periodic training on emerging issues including gender, cybersecurity, and other social issues.
Other panellists emphasised the need for the training of lawyers and legal practitioners to ensure the proper adjudication of justice and scrutinised the role and significance of regional and international human rights jurisprudence.
The Sixth Judicial Dialogue is on the theme “Advancing Justice and Human Rights in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities for Integrating Regional and International Human Rights Jurisprudence in Domestic Courts.”
The Judicial Dialogue seeks to provide a platform for judges of national and regional courts and other stakeholders to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities related to integrating regional and international human rights jurisprudence into domestic courts in Africa.
The Sixth African Union Judicial Dialogue is being attended by representatives from national Supreme and Constitutional Courts from across the continent, presidents and judges of regional and sub-regional courts, representatives of the African Union, lawyers and researchers, and representatives of human rights institutions.
The African Court is collaborating with the African Union, the European Union, GIZ, the United Nations, and the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria for the dialogue.
