Three Sierra Leonean judges are representing the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone at the International Conference of the ECOWAS Court of Justice currently underway in Dakar, Senegal.
The delegation comprises Supreme Court Judges Hon. Justice Glenna Thompson and Hon. Justice Mangeh Fana Deen-Tarawally, alongside High Court Judge Hon. Justice Augustine Kailey Musa.
The conference, scheduled for 21–25 September 2026, has brought together senior judicial and legal personalities from across West Africa and beyond to examine the future of regional justice, human-rights protection, judicial innovation and regional integration.
Held under the theme, “ECOWAS Court of Justice at the Crossroads: Justice, Innovation, Human Rights Protection and the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa,” the conference is examining the evolving role of the regional court amid emerging legal, institutional, technological and human-rights challenges.
Discussions are centred on seven major thematic areas considered important to the development of regional justice. These include human-rights jurisprudence, enforcement of ECOWAS Court judgments, artificial intelligence and data protection, arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), institutional development, environmental justice, and refugee protection.
Participants are examining the role of the ECOWAS Court in strengthening the protection of fundamental rights across the region, as well as mechanisms for improving compliance with judgments issued by the regional judicial institution.
The conference is also addressing the growing impact of artificial intelligence and data protection on courts, legal practice and judicial administration, with discussions focusing on how judicial institutions can harness technological developments while responding to emerging legal and ethical concerns.
Another area of focus is arbitration and ADR as mechanisms for resolving regional, commercial and other disputes outside conventional litigation. Participants are also considering institutional reforms, including a proposal for an appellate chamber for the ECOWAS Court and its potential implications for the regional justice system.
Environmental justice and the protection of refugees and displaced persons also form part of the discussions, alongside cooperation between national courts and the ECOWAS Court.
Justice Glenna Thompson described her participation in the conference as a valuable and knowledge-enriching experience, noting that the issues discussed and knowledge shared would be brought back to Sierra Leone.
She said the discussions on human-rights protection, enforcement of regional court judgments, artificial intelligence and data protection, ADR, environmental justice, and the protection of refugees and displaced persons are particularly relevant to the work of the Sierra Leone Judiciary.
Justice Thompson further expressed confidence that the knowledge acquired and best practices shared during the conference would contribute to ongoing efforts to strengthen the administration of justice and improve judicial service delivery in Sierra Leone.
The conference is providing an opportunity for judicial leaders and legal practitioners from Sierra Leone and other West African jurisdictions to exchange experiences and contribute to discussions on the future direction of regional judicial cooperation.
