NEW LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE, ECOWAS: HONOURABLE JUSTICE RICARDO CLAÚDIO MONTEIRO GONÇALVES ELECTED NEW PRESIDENT OF THE ECOWAS COURT OF JUSTICE AND HONOURABLE JUSTICE SENGU MOHAMED KOROMA ELECTED AS THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT

Honourable Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves has been elected as the new President
of the ECOWAS Court of Justice on Monday, October 14, 2024, for a two-year term of office,
following an election by the college of five judges of the Court.
Hon. Justice Gonçalves succeeds Hon. Justice Edward Amoako Asante who led the Court for six years
since assuming office on July 31, 2018.
In the same election, Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma was elected as Vice-President, succeeding
Hon Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara.
Justice Ricardo C.M. Gonçalves from Cabo Verde and Justice Sengu M. Koroma from Sierra Leone were
sworn-in on Thursday, October 6, 2022 in Guinea Bissau by former President of the Conference of Heads
of State and Government of the Community, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo for a non-renewable
term of four (4) years.
In his inaugural speech, the President-elect, Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves outlined his
vision for the Court, which focused on two fundamental pillars: responsibility and dialogue. He
emphasised the responsibility entrusted to the Court by the ECOWAS laws establishing the Court. He
also stressed the need to uphold the institution’s mission as an independent, reliable, efficient, and
accessible court.
He expressed his commitment to foster continuous dialogue with other institutions and agencies of
ECOWAS, Member States, civil societies among others, while also ensuring financial prudence in the
administration of the institution’s fund.
The other three judges of the Court are the out-going president, Justice Edward Amoako Asante
(Ghana), the out-going vice-president, Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire) and Justice Dupe Atoki
(Nigeria).