Justice Ricardo Goncalves, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, announced that the court’s Five-Year Strategic Plan (2026–2030) is designed for radical judicial transformation in the sub-region. Goncalves made the statement during a technical validation workshop in Abuja, organized to finalize the plan.
The strategic plan focuses on several key objectives. These include strengthening the court’s capacity, ensuring timely justice delivery, and expanding public access to justice. It also aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and human rights protection.
The final document will guide the court’s operations through 2030. Goncalves emphasized that the workshop was critical for ensuring the plan is “realistic, practical, and implementable” to better serve the ECOWAS Community.
“The Strategic Plan is a tool for regional judicial transformation to reduce delays, strengthen enforcement of judgments, make justice more accessible to citizens, and to build a Court that inspires confidence and trust across the region,” Goncalves said.
He, therefore, urged staff members to take ownership of the process and commit to its implementation.
Also speaking, Dr Olalekan Afolabi, the court’s Principal Officer, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, reviewed the court’s performance, the strategic plan’s framework, while outlining the workshop’s objectives and methodology.
He stressed the need for the ECOWAS Court to align departmental goals with the its vision toward ensuring that the strategies were both inclusive and achievable.
NAN reports that the event was attended by the ECOWAS Commission’s representative, the court’s management, directors, heads of division and staff, resource persons and consultants.
