UNHCR, ECOWAS Court to partner in protecting refugees, IDPs

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the ECOWAS Court of Justice have promised to enhance their current collaboration in order to tackle the negative effects of population displacement and statelessness in the area.

The two organizations made the pledge in Abuja, when the Vice President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Honourable Justice Gbéri-bè Ouattara, met with the Regional Director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde.

Mr. Gnon-Konde who is the Director of the UNHCR Regional Office for West and Central Africa, based in Dakar, Senegal, expressed his gratitude for the productive partnership between UNHCR and the ECOWAS Court.

He highlighted that the partnership has facilitated many jointly organised activities and created a forum for the exchange of expert opinions.

Justice Ouattara expressed the Court’s gratitude to the Director while emphasising the positive impact of this partnership on the promotion and protection of human rights in the ECOWAS region.

Both sides also discussed areas of strategic collaboration aimed at resolving human rights issues, with particular emphasis on the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons.

They stressed the need to strengthen their existing partnership to address the detrimental consequences of statelessness and population displacement in the region.

Mr. Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde was accompanied by Mr. Hervé Kuate, UNHCR Senior Adviser in charge of liaison with ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), and Ms. Joan Ogu, Assistant Government Liaison Officer.

Also present were Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, Chief Registrar of the ECOWAS Court, Mr. Fernand Kouassi, Executive Assistant to the Vice-President, and Court staff from the Protocol, Language Services, and Communication Divisions.