For Africa to achieve the desired level of attainment, issues such as poverty, socio-economic rights, environmental and sustainable development alongside concerns about democracy and unconstitutional changes of governments, have to be dealt with.
This was the charge Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, gave as Special Guest of Honour today in his address at the opening of the 2022 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, in Arusha, Tanzania. He spoke on the theme: “The African Court and The Africa we want”.
“The Africa we want is one that addresses, amongst others, humanity’s most pressing concerns of eradication of poverty, hunger and disease; the sustenance of democracy and the rule of law; sustainable development, especially dealing with challenges of climate change and application of finite resources for economic growth and diversification; human security and peace,” Prof. Osinbajo declared.
He also commended the African Court of Human and People’s Rights for the Afrocentric development of human rights jurisprudence, noting that already the African Court was playing its own role.
The VP, who addressed the justices of the African Court, other sister regional human rights institutions, groups of lawyers and experts and international human rights bodies, among other stakeholders, identified the challenges and burdens “we must discharge to arrive at the type of continent we want,” and then asked the question, “what is the Court doing by its mandate and practice to relieve those burdens?”
He then called on African nations to, while pursuing implementation of Agenda 2063, resolve to improve the human rights records of the continent in the immediate future, as “the purpose of life is in the here and now, not in the far future.”
Also the Vice President of the Court, Justice Blaise Tchikaya, in the vote of thanks commended Prof. Osinbajo “for the constant support that he always gives to the Court.”
Released by:
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
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