ECOWAS Court Elects Liberian Justice Brumskine as President

ECOWAS Court Elects Liberian Justice Brumskine as President

Liberian Justice Charlyne M. Brumskine has been elected President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, with Benin’s Justice Désire Henri Aihou emerging as Vice-President.

The two judges were elected on October 13, 2026, by the newly constituted college of judges, marking a leadership change at the regional judicial institution.

Brumskine and Aihou will hold their leadership positions for two years within their four-year, non-renewable mandates, which are scheduled to expire in 2030.

The other members of the five-judge panel are Justice Awa Bah of The Gambia, Justice Henrietta Uzoamaka Didigu of Nigeria, and Justice Yaouza Ouro-Sama of Togo.

Their election followed their swearing-in on October 6, 2026, alongside the other newly appointed judges, during a ceremony presided over by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Faye, who chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, presided over the inauguration ahead of the judges’ assumption of their judicial responsibilities.

The new ECOWAS Court leadership takes office as the institution implements its 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, known as Justice 2030, aimed at strengthening regional justice delivery.

The plan focuses on improving access to justice, increasing judicial efficiency, enhancing institutional effectiveness, raising public awareness and building confidence in the regional judicial system.

As President of the ECOWAS Court, Brumskine will provide judicial leadership and represent the institution during official engagements, while Aihou will assist her in discharging presidential responsibilities.

In her inaugural address, Brumskine thanked her fellow judges for their confidence, describing her election as an opportunity to serve the Court and West African citizens.

She acknowledged the responsibilities of leading a regional judicial institution mandated to interpret and apply community law while protecting human rights across the ECOWAS region.

Meanwhile, outgoing Court President Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves described the handover as the conclusion of the outgoing judges’ tenure and the transfer of responsibilities to successors.

Gonçalves said the transition demonstrated the continuity of the ECOWAS Court beyond the individual judges appointed to serve, reinforcing the institution’s enduring judicial responsibilities.

On behalf of the outgoing judges, he congratulated the incoming judicial team and expressed his wishes for a successful tenure as they assume their new responsibilities.