Hon. Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves, President of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, and his delegation visited His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio at State House in Freetown. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone, Mr. Alpha Sesay, stated that the delegation, led by the President of the Court, was in the country to congratulate President Bio on his recent election as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. He also stated that the visit’s goal was to assist the Attorney General’s Office by providing state counsels with training and capacity-building opportunities.
Mr. Sesay emphasized that the training will improve state counsel’s capacity and prepare them to effectively represent the state whenever the need arises.
Hon. Justice Sengu Koroma, Vice President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, introduced the delegation to President Bio and expressed his gratitude to the Attorney General’s Office for their ongoing support of the Community Court. He also assured President Bio that Sierra Leone will be represented actively and meaningfully at the Court.
The President of the Court, Hon. Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves, congratulated the staff of the Community Court of Justice.
He described President Bio’s appointment as significant and historic, stating that it demonstrated fellow Heads of State’s trust in him.
“It is both a testament to your visionary leadership at home and a signal of trust in the regional integration agenda,” the president said.
He went on to say that the Community Court was confident that President Bio’s tenure would be characterized by pragmatic leadership, increased cooperation among member states, and stronger regional institutions. He concluded by expressing the Court’s unwavering commitment to advancing the rule of law, good governance, and human rights as core tenets of regional integration.
President Bio greeted the delegation warmly and expressed gratitude for their visit. He praised the ECOWAS Community Court’s continued important role in the region.
“The Court is an important part of ECOWAS, and I am well aware of the challenges you face. I want to assure you that I will be fully supportive during my tenure,” he said.
He concluded by thanking the President of the Court and his delegation for providing training opportunities to Sierra Leone’s state counsel, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives in strengthening national legal capacity.
