ECOWAS Court President Calls for Stronger Institutional Collaboration, Efficiency, and Accountability at 2025 Judicial Retreat

ECOWAS Court President Calls for Stronger Institutional Collaboration, Efficiency, and Accountability at 2025 Judicial Retreat

By: Michael Mike

Abuja-Nigeria, 26 October 2025 – Honourable Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, has called for renewed commitment to institutional collaboration, efficiency, and accountability as foundations of service in the Court. He made the call during the opening of the 2025 Judicial Retreat holding from 26 to 31 October 2025 at Zuma Resort in Niger State, Nigeria.

In his opening speech, Justice Ricardo Gonçalves welcomed participants and underscored the relevance of the annual retreat as a forum for reflection, accountability and institutional reinforcement. He commended the judges and staff for a productive judicial year and acknowledged the successful organisation of the 2025/2026 Legal Year Opening Ceremony, which reaffirmed the central role of the judiciary in the ECOWAS integration framework.

Justice Gonçalves also emphasised the importance of internal cohesion and institutional discipline to effective delivery of justice, stressing that the Court’s ability to deliver timely and impactful justice depends on the quality of its internal systems.

“The credibility of this Court is not written merely in our statutes. It is built daily through our conduct, our diligence and our unity of purpose. I therefore hope that this retreat will be not only a moment of reflection, but also a renewal of commitment, discipline and integrity in the service of justice,” he said.

He outlined five priority areas that would guide the operations of the Court in the coming year. They include: strengthening collaboration between the judges’ chambers and all departments; institutionalising the implementation of retreat recommendations; upholding discipline and ethics as non-negotiable foundations of service in the Court; enhancing efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of judicial processes; and promoting unity and institutional loyalty within the Court.

In his remarks, Dr Yaouza Ouro-Sama, Chief Registrar of the Court presented the objectives and expected outcomes of the retreat. He said that the ‘retreat aims to reinforce the capacity of staff to effectively support the Honourable Judges in their judicial work. It addresses the critical need for improved efficiency, productivity and synergy in the execution of official duties.’ He added that the retreat will result in enhanced understanding of comparative practices of international courts and clear understanding of applicable procedural laws of the Court in the administration of justice.

The 2025 Judicial Retreat will feature detailed assessments of departmental performance based on the Court’s annual performance report, a review of the implementation status of previous retreat recommendations, and discussions on comparative judicial practices in areas such as summary hearings, interim measures, accelerated procedure and judicial reforms.

The Retreat which is being held under the theme ‘Efficiency and Effectiveness: Streamlining Processes for a Dynamic ECOWAS Court’ brings together the college of judges, registry staff, and legal officers to reflect, review institutional performance, and define strategic priorities for the coming year. Expected resolutions of the Retreat include the adoption of the Annual Performance Report of the Court for October 2024–October 2025 and a Manual of Disciplinary Procedure for Staff of the Court.

ECOWAS Court President Calls for Stronger Institutional Collaboration, Efficiency, and Accountability at 2025 Judicial Retreat