Justice Charlyne M. Brumskine of Liberia has been elected President of the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, while Justice Désiré Henri Aihou of Benin emerged Vice-President.
According to the Court’s official release, the new college of judges elected both leaders on 13 October 2026. They will lead the Court for the next two years within their four-year, non-renewable judicial mandate ending in 2030.
The election follows the swearing-in of five new judges on 6 October 2026 at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters in Abuja. The other members are Justice Awa Bah of The Gambia, Justice Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu of Nigeria and Justice Yaouza Ouro-Sama of Togo.
Accepting her election, Justice Brumskine expressed gratitude to her colleagues and pledged to serve the Court, the ECOWAS Community and the people of West Africa with commitment and a deep sense of responsibility.
The leadership transition coincides with the implementation of the Court’s Strategic Plan 2026–2030, known as Justice 2030, which prioritises access to justice, judicial efficiency, institutional effectiveness and public confidence in regional justice.
Outgoing President, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, described the handover as an expression of institutional continuity and wished the incoming judges a successful tenure. Justice Aihou thanked the outgoing judges for their service and acknowledged the staff who organised the ceremony.
The new President and Vice-President expressed their commitment to judicial independence, impartiality, integrity and accountability, alongside efforts to strengthen the effectiveness, accessibility and credibility of regional justice.
Read the full official release in the attached document.
Click to read: ECOWAS Court PR – ECOWAS Court Elects New President, Vice President
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