The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, will hold an outreach programme and legal clinic in the Republic of Liberia from November 10–16, 2025, as part of efforts to enhance public awareness and access to justice within the sub-region.
A statement issued on Sunday announced that the ECOWAS Court delegation, led by its President, Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, will engage with various stakeholders through sensitisation activities designed to educate citizens on the Court’s role, mandate, jurisdiction, and procedures for access.
According to the Court, the programme aims to increase visibility and promote citizen ownership of the institution, while deepening understanding of its jurisprudence and impact on the ECOWAS region. The initiative also forms part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of ECOWAS.
The week-long event will feature presentations, panel discussions, town hall meetings, judicial dialogues, and a public legal clinic. These interactive sessions are intended to provide community members with direct access to legal information, advice, and guidance on how to approach the Court.
The activities will commence with a courtesy visit to the President of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai, and other senior government officials. This will be followed by a town hall meeting on November 12, 2025, at the Ministerial Complex in Monrovia, and a special forum for lawyers and law students on November 13 at the University of Liberia Auditorium.
A judicial dialogue involving Liberian judges and their counterparts from the ECOWAS Court will also be held, while the public legal clinic will take place on November 14–15, at the Ministerial Complex. The programme will close with a press conference and media engagements to further sensitize the public.
The ECOWAS Court has previously conducted similar outreach activities in Benin, Ghana, Togo, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and several Nigerian cities, including Ibadan and Lagos. The next session is scheduled for Lomé, Togo, from November 16–22, 2025.
Established under Articles 6 and 15 of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, the Community Court of Justice serves as a judicial organ of the regional body. It performs four key roles: interpreting and applying Community laws, acting as an administrative tribunal for ECOWAS officials, serving as an arbitration tribunal, and functioning as a human rights court for the protection of fundamental rights across Member States.
