ECOWAS Court, UNHCR Finalise Joint Workplan For Refugee Protection In West Africa

The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Abuja Office have completed and adopted a comprehensive joint workplan for 2025 aimed at improving refugee protection and addressing statelessness throughout West Africa.

The meeting, held at the Court’s headquarters in Abuja, was based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in July 2022.

Following a review of the successful 2024 workplan, the two organisations presented and formally adopted their joint strategy for the coming year.

• The plan focuses on several key initiatives aimed at improving access to justice and strengthening legal protections for vulnerable populations, particularly displaced people and stateless people.
• The highlights of the 2025 work plan include:
• Enhanced Coordination: Regular bimonthly meetings will ensure effective monitoring of joint activities and facilitate the exchange of information on relevant court cases.
• Combating Statelessness: The plan calls for support for the implementation of international and regional statelessness instruments, such as a regional training course in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and an annual coordination meeting for statelessness focal points.
• Capacity Building and Awareness: To increase legal expertise, ECOWAS Member States will conduct joint awareness campaigns, train legal professionals, and consult on a new moot court program.
• On-the-Ground Assessment: Fact-finding missions to refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) camps will provide firsthand information about the humanitarian situation.
• Strengthening Legal Frameworks: UNHCR country offices, NGOs, and partners will receive information about the ECOWAS Court’s mandate and procedures. Furthermore, a lawyer roster will be created to support capacity-building efforts.
• Resource Enhancement: The UNHCR will provide legal resources, such as legal books donated to the ECOWAS Court Library and specialised refugee and international humanitarian law training for Court staff.

Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, Chief Registrar of the ECOWAS Court, and Mr. Hervé Kuate, UNHCR Senior Liaison Adviser, ECOWAS/ECCAS, both expressed their strong support for the partnership, emphasising their shared mission of protecting the rights of displaced people and stateless people throughout West Africa.

The adoption of the workplan for 2025 represents a significant step forward in providing legal protection and assistance to the region’s vulnerable populations. Representatives from various departments of both organisations attended the meeting.