ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 13, 2015/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
The meeting of Ministers of Justice and Legal affairs commenced today 12th November 2015, as part of the ongoing session of the Second STC on Justice and Legal Affairs in accordance with various Decisions of the Policy Organs of the Union.
The overall objective is for the STC to consider the legal instruments of the Union that have been adopted by the other STCs and submit them to the policy organs for approval.
Addressing the meeting H.E. Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, recalled on the solemn importance of the STCs as they are expected to work in close collaboration with the various departments of the Commission so as to provide well-informed inputs to the work of the Executive Council in their areas of specialization. The Deputy Chairperson highlighted the enormous number of legal instruments yet to be considered by the Ministers while underlining the limited time available to examine these instruments. In his closing remarks he urged the Ministers and Attorneys General to make a recommendation to the policy organs of the Union to permit the STC on Justice and Legal Affairs meet every year in ordinary sessions to examine Legal Instruments requiring the attention of the STC which cannot afford to wait for two years before being considered.
H.E. Laurent Esso, Minister of State, Minister of Justice and keeper of the Seals of the Republic of Cameroon noted that the meeting is the first extraordinary session of the STC following the outcomes of the Conference held in Johannesburg in 2014 that requested coherence of all Legal Texts relating to the Union.
The Minister emphasized the need for a solid legal architecture to drive the continent’s vision especially at a significant time such as this one when the AU has developed a vision and a plan of action, “Agenda 2063”, to build an Integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, led by its people and playing a vital role on the International Arena.
The three day meeting will see Ministers in the areas of Justice, Constitutionalism and Human Rights adopt draft legal Instruments which will thereafter be forwarded to the forthcoming Summit of the AU Assembly to be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2016.
