The Conference Constitutional Jurisdictions of Africa (CJCA) held its 7th Congress from 30 October to 2 November 2024 in Victoria-Falls (Republic of Zimbabwe). The Judiciary of Seychelles was represented by Supreme Court Judge Mohan Burhan, and our Director for Legal Affairs Mr. Lionel Garrick.
At the event, Seychelles, as represented by the Chief Justice Rony Govinden, was elected to the Executive Bureau of the CJCA as one of the Vice-Presidents, for the period 2024 – 2026.
Other countries also elected include Algeria, Angola; Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, South Africa, Somalia, Morocco, Mozambique and Zambia.
The theme of the Congress was: “Human dignity as a value and founding principle: A source of constitutional interpretation, protection and application of fundamental human rights”
This event was enhanced by the presence of the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe His Excellency Dr. Chiwenga, who delivered the opening speech and kicked off the work of this 7th Congress.
The Congress brought together forty (40) African Constitutional and Supreme Courts and Councils that are members of the CJCA, the Supreme and Constitutional Courts of Iraq, Russia and Turkey in their capacity as Observer Members of the CJCA, the Constitutional Court of Austria as a special guest, the African Union, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the World Conference on Constitutional Justice, the Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy through Law, as well as the regional groups working in the field of constitutional justice, namely: the Union of Arab Constitutional Courts, the Asian Association of Constitutional Courts, the Conference of European Constitutional Courts, and the Forum of Chief Justices of Southern Africa, to which are added civil society organizations, such as the International Association of Constitutional Law and the World Law Foundation, for a total of one hundred and fifty (150) participants.
At its 7th General Assembly, the Congress adopted the activity and financial reports; ruled on new applications for membership; adopted the activity programme and the provisional budget for 2024-2026; ratified of the cooperation agreement between the CJCA and the Conference Portuguese-speaking Constitutional Courts; Announcement and awarding of trophies to the winners of the first edition of the “CJCA Thesis Prize”; and proceeded to the election of a new Executive Bureau.
The new Bureau is composed of:
-The Supreme and Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, as President of the CJCA, for the period 2024-2026.
The following Councils and Constitutional and Supreme Courts as members of the Bureau:
1st Vice-President: The Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Host of the 8th Congress);
2nd Vice-President: The Supreme Constitutional Court of Egypt
The mandate of the Bureau is two years.
The Congress accepted the candidacy of the Constitutional Court of the DR Congo to host and organize the 8th Congress of the CJCA, scheduled for 2026.
Participants took this opportunity to express their sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the Honourable Judge, Mr. Mohammed Amine BENABDALLAH, President of the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Morocco, for his distinguished presidency of the Conference, and for what he has done, during his mandate, for the development and flourishing of the organization.
On this occasion, Mr. BENABDALLAH, outgoing President, handed over the banner of the CJCA to the Honourable Mr. Lucke MALABA, Chief Justice and President of the Supreme and Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, as a passage of the Presidency to Zimbabwe for the next two years.
The participants of the 7th Congress of the Conference of African Constitutional Jurisdictions (CJCA) as well as all the representatives of the host jurisdictions and organizations, gathered in Victoria Falls, extended their heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the Honourable Mr. Luke MALABA, Chief Justice and Chief Justice of the Supreme and Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, the Judges, the Secretary of the Judicial Commission Mr. CHIKWANA Walter and to his Team, for the excellent organization of this event, to the authorities and the people of Zimbabwe, for the quality of their welcome and hospitality, which greatly contributed to the success of the work of this 7th Congress.
They take this opportunity to extend their best wishes for the success of Chief Justice Luke Malaba, in the mission that has just been entrusted to him, at the head of the Conference for the next two years, in the service of constitutional justice in Africa.
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