President John Dramani Mahama has emphasised the need for robust continental institutions to uphold human rights during the opening of the 2026 judicial year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights on Monday, 2 March.

Speaking to an audience of jurists, diplomats, and legal scholars, President Mahama reflected on Africa’s history of liberation and the collective challenges the continent has faced.

He recalled the era when successive nations won independence from colonial rule and the subsequent wave of coups that swept across the continent.

“Look at the synergy that existed between us during Africa’s era of liberation. One nation after another in quick succession declared freedom from colonial rule. Then again, when coup d’état became fashionable, that tendency spread like a contagion through nearly every nation,” he said.

President Mahama stressed that African nations are “each other’s keepers” and underscored the importance of institutions that serve all states while remaining independent.

In this context, he praised the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights as a cornerstone for safeguarding rights and values across the continent.

“Let us now consider the institution that safeguards our values and rights. Over the past two decades of its operation, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights has proven time and again that it has the fortitude and courage to recalibrate our moral compass,” he stated.

He further highlighted the Court’s role in maintaining observance of the rights and duties enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which all African nations are signatories.

“That charter complements this court’s mission. Now we must empower the court to be the institution that stands guard over those ideals, protecting and preserving our greatest inheritance,” he added.

President Mahama also noted Ghana’s contributions to the Court, emphasising that the country has provided a significant number of legal minds over the years to strengthen its work.