Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves elected as president of the ECOWAS Court of Justice and Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma elected as the Vice president.
Justice Gonçalves was elected president of the ECOWAS Court of Justice on Monday, October 14, 2024, for a two-year term of office, following an election by the college of five judges of the Court.
Justice Gonçalves succeeds Justice Edward Amoako Asante who led the Court for six years since assuming office on July 31, 2018.
In the same election, Justice Koroma was elected as Vice-president, succeeding Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara.
Justice Gonçalves is from Cabo Verde and Justice Koroma is from Sierra Leone; both men were sworn-in on Thursday, October 6, 2022 in Guinea Bissau by former president of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Community, Umaro Sissoco Embalo for a non-renewable term of four years.
In his inaugural speech, the president-elect Gonçalves outlined his vision for the Court, which focused on two fundamental pillars: responsibility and dialogue.
He emphasized the responsibility entrusted to the Court by the ECOWAS laws establishing the Court.
He also stressed the need to uphold the institution’s mission as an independent, reliable, efficient, and accessible court.
He expressed his commitment to foster continuous dialogue with other institutions and agencies of ECOWAS, Member States, civil societies among others, while also ensuring financial prudence in the administration of the institution’s fund.
The other three judges of the Court are the out-going president, Justice Edward Amoako Asante (Ghana), the out-going vice-president, Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire) and Justice Dupe Atoki (Nigeria).
