President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Tanzania to headline the opening of the 2026 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, an event that will also launch activities marking the Court’s 20th anniversary.
The President touched down at Kilimanjaro International Airport ahead of the ceremony and was welcomed by Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo. He was also received by Ghana’s High Commissioner to Kenya, accredited to Tanzania, H.E. Paul Evans Aidoo, and Justice Sir Dennis Dominic Adjei of Ghana’s Supreme Court, who serves as a judge of the Court.
President Mahama is scheduled to serve as Guest of Honour at the ceremony on Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Kibo Hall in Arusha. Before the formal proceedings, he will hold a closed-door meeting with the President of the Court, Honourable Justice Blaise Tchikaya. His keynote address, set for early afternoon, will follow reflections by the Court’s President on the new judicial year and the institution’s two decades of service.
The ceremony, themed “20 Years of Service in Protecting Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa,” is expected to attract dignitaries from across the continent, including representatives of the African Union Commission, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations, and the Government of Tanzania. The event will be held in a hybrid format, allowing virtual participation.
A major highlight will be the unveiling of the Court’s newly redesigned website, alongside the official declaration opening the judicial year. The programme will conclude with a vote of thanks by the Vice President of the Court, Honourable Lady Justice Chafika Bensaoula.
President Mahama’s participation signals Ghana’s continued engagement with continental institutions and its commitment to advancing the rule of law and strengthening human rights mechanisms across Africa.
