The President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, has pledged the full implementation of recommendations arising from the Court’s five-day Judicial Retreat, which concluded on 31 October 2025 in Niger State, Nigeria.
In his closing address, Justice Gonçalves reaffirmed the Court’s commitment to executing the retreat’s outcomes within its established strategic framework and timelines. He urged staff to demonstrate diligence and professionalism in supporting the judges to ensure the Court’s effective judicial delivery.
The retreat focused on six critical areas, including the Court’s annual performance review (October 2024–October 2025), expedited procedures and provisional measures, comparative analysis of practices in other international and regional courts, applicability of procedural laws, and the roles of the President, Judge Rapporteur, and Chief Registrar. Other discussions covered the review of previous retreat recommendations and the presentation of the newly adopted Manual of Disciplinary Procedure.
Key outcomes included improved understanding of international judicial practices, clarification of procedural laws and institutional roles, strengthened inter-departmental collaboration, enhanced stakeholder engagement and external relations, and optimisation of the Court’s Electronic Case Management System (ECMS) and language services.
Held under the theme “Efficiency and Effectiveness: Streamlining Processes for a Dynamic ECOWAS Court,” the retreat brought together the judges, chief registrar, directors, heads of divisions and units, executive assistants, registry and legal officers, and key support staff.
The annual judicial retreat serves as a vital platform for reflection, review, and development of actionable strategies aimed at strengthening the efficiency, transparency, and overall performance of the ECOWAS Court of Justice.
