I. THE PARTIES 1. Ligue ivoirienne des droits de l’homme (LIDHO), Mouvement ivoirien des droits humains (MIDH) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) (hereinafter referred to as “the Applicants”) are non-governmental organisations (hereinafter referred to as “NGOs”), all of which have observer status before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Commission”).1 They allege violation of human rights in connection with the dumping of toxic waste in Abidjan and its suburbs on 19 August 2006. 2. The Application is filed against the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (hereinafter referred to as “the Respondent State”), which became a party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Charter”) on 31 March 1992 and to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (hereinafter referred to as “the Protocol”) on 22 August 2014. Furthermore, the Respondent State, on 23 July 2013, deposited the Declaration provided for under Article 34(6) of the Protocol (hereinafter referred to as “the Declaration”), by virtue of which it accepted the jurisdiction of the Court to receive applications from individuals and NonGovernmental Organisations having observer status before the Commission. On 29 April 2020, the Respondent State deposited with the Chairperson of the African Union Commission the instrument of withdrawal of its Declaration. The Court has held that this withdrawal has no effect on pending and new cases filed before the entry into force of the said withdrawal one (1) year after its deposit which, in the present case, is on 30 April 2021.2 1 The NGOs concerned were granted observer status as follows: LIDHO (9 October 1991, 10th Ordinary Session, Banjul, Gambia); MIDH (13 October 2001, 30th Ordinary Session, Banjul, the Gambia); and FIDH (12 October 1990, 8th Ordinary Session, Banjul, the Gambia). 2 Suy Bi Gohoré and Others v. Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (merits and reparations) (15 July 2020) 4 AfCLR 396, § 2 2