To host CJCA conference
ADDIS ABABA – The Secretariat of the Council of Constitutional Inquiry (CCI) has announced that Ethiopia’s recent selection as the executive of the Conference of African Constitutional Courts (CJCA) will enhance its influence and credibility on both the continental and global stages.
In a briefing yesterday, Desalegn Woyese Director General of the Secretariat of the CCI, highlighted that this new role will elevate Ethiopia’s standing within Africa and beyond. “As the executive of the CJCA, Ethiopia will gain increased acceptance and influence, facilitating cooperation, experience-sharing, and promoting the Ethiopian constitution,” he noted. The executive role also brings benefits in development and reputation-building for Ethiopia.
Though Ethiopia’s Council of Constitutional Inquiry has been interpreting constitutional issues only recently, its active participation has earned it the executive position for the next two years. Ethiopia is also set to host the CJCA conference next year, which, according to Desalegn, will be a unique opportunity to showcase Ethiopia’s growing expertise in constitutional interpretation and to learn from countries with centuries of experience in the field.
The CJCA conference, under the African Union’s umbrella, consists of three bodies: the congress, executive bureau, and general secretariat. The congress, as the highest decision-making body, oversees key matters such as budget ratification, agreement approvals, and addressing executive issues. Meanwhile, the executive bureau manages reporting, agenda-setting, and implementing congress decisions, while the general secretariat handles day-to-day administration and encourages new member invitations.
Ethiopia joined the CJCA in 2017 through its CCI, becoming part of an organization representing 48 African nations’ constitutional courts. The CJCA, headquartered in Algiers, Algeria, was established following the African Union’s 15th session in 2010 in Kampala, Uganda.
The CJCA serves as a platform for African constitutional courts to share experiences, fostering cooperation and reinforcing the constitutional framework across the continent.
BY MESEFRET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2024
