EU Ambassador to the Gambia
21 October 2022
Your Excellency the Vice President of the Gambia Alieu Badara Joof, Honorable Ministers, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, Esteemed Commissioners, Excellency the Chief Justice and Acting Head of AGA, Members of the press, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is a great privilege to be with you today representing the European Union and to address the opening ceremony on this 73$^{rd}$ session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic the Commission has not interrupted their work and it is indeed a joy to see in-person sessions resume, as they allow for more fruitful interactions. What a suitable celebration of the 35$^{th}$ Anniversary of the Commission, marking its steadfast engagement on behalf of the citizens of the continent.
During these 35 years the Commission has worked for the promotion of Human and Peoples’ Rights, protection of these rights and contribute to the interpretation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Your 2021-2025 Strategic plan clearly articulates the activities which aim at that, be they connected to sensitization and information dissemination, to the complementarity with other organs (here represented today) and to the strengthening of legal systems and institutional frameworks, such as National Human Rights Institutions (also present here), of which more than 30 already
have an affiliated status. Your Special mechanisms, Working groups, promotion missions have continued to raise awareness to the rights of Women, forced disappearances, conditions in prisons, among many other subjects.
You are also working on enhancing the monitoring, follow-up and tracking of compliance by State Parties. Sadly not all Member States have submitted reports, but you have bravely continued your work against the lack of political will and the difficulty of implementing your findings and recommendations at national level. You have continued to work on behalf of African citizens, using your urgent appeals in matters posing an imminent danger of irreparable harm to individuals. In a world where human rights violations continue to be an ugly dark reality you have kept the light on, showing your State Parties how to do better for its citizens.
The European Union’s relationship with Africa is one of strategic partnership with shared interests as well as proximity. It covers a multitude of layers, including human rights, peace, security, good governance, trade, investment, development, climate change, digitalization, migration and human mobility. We reaffirmed these commitments at our 6th EU-AU Summit last February, making public our Joint Vision for 2030. This renewed partnership keeps human rights and democracy at its core, as we reiterated our commitment to respect and promote compliance with human rights and to work together to promote effective multilateralism within the rules-based international order.