Arusha, Tanzania — March 2, 2026. The President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, today officially launched the 2026 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, marking the institution’s 20th anniversary with a strong call for African nations to deepen their commitment to human rights and judicial independence.
Speaking during the ceremony held in Arusha, Mahama urged African Union member states that have not yet ratified the Court’s Protocol to do so without delay. He also encouraged governments to respect and implement the Court’s judgments in good faith and to allow individuals and non-governmental organizations direct access to the Court.
The Ghanaian leader reflected on his personal history, recounting how his father was detained and later forced into exile for his political views. He said the experience shaped his enduring belief in the protection of human rights and the rule of law.
“I stand before you not only as a Head of State, but as the child of a man who was detained for serving his country and advising its leader,” Mahama said. “No one stands alone when injustice occurs. Its impact extends to families, communities, and entire nations.”
He emphasized that although Africa is made up of 55 sovereign states, their destinies are interconnected and require a strong continental institution capable of safeguarding shared values. Over the past two decades, he noted, the Court has demonstrated courage and fortitude in defending the principles enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Mahama also referenced prominent African figures who suffered persecution or assassination during liberation struggles, including Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, and Nelson Mandela, saying Africa lost invaluable human potential during those turbulent decades.
Quoting Tanzania’s founding President, Julius Nyerere, who once said, “One does not judge one’s state of health by comparing it to a sick person,” Mahama called on African nations to define their own standards of justice, democracy, and governance.
With Africa’s population projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, he said the continent holds immense demographic power that must be matched by strong institutions that protect dignity, liberty, and self-determination.
“Now is the time for Africa to step into its greatness,” he declared.
On behalf of the citizens of Africa, President Mahama officially declared the 2026 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights open, reaffirming the continent’s collective responsibility to uphold justice and human dignity.
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