107. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Court considers that there is nothing to
prevent it from examining the question whether the instruments referenced
are human rights protection instruments.
108. The Court underscores that to qualify as a human rights instrument, within
the meaning of Article 3 of the Protocol, the text in question must first be a
treaty. Similarly, it is necessary to refer in particular to the purposes of such
an instrument, which are reflected either by an express enunciation of the
subjective rights of individuals or groups of individuals, or by mandatory
obligations on State Parties for the consequent enjoyment of the said
rights.5 Therefore, mere references to the term “human rights” in a treaty is
not sufficient to make it a human rights instrument.6
109. In the present case, the Court observes that the Pretoria Declaration is not
a treaty. Clearly therefore, it does not qualify as a human rights instrument.
110. The same applies for the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement,7 which
establishes an oversight
mechanism to review progress
in
the
implementation of the unilateral commitments of the DRC, the East Africa
region and the international community “relative to the local and regional
peace processes initiated at that time laid the foundation for relative peace
and stability in large parts of the DRC […]”.
111. With regard to the Charter of the United Nations, the Court notes that it does
not expressly state the subjective rights of individuals or groups of
individuals. Neither does it lay down mandatory obligations for the
consequent enjoyment of such rights. Its references to human rights and
fundamental freedoms are meant to indicate the organisation’s commitment
to these concepts.8 Consequently, the United Nations Charter cannot be
considered as a human rights instrument.
5 APDH v. Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (merits) (18 November 2016) 1 AfCLR 668, § 57.
6 Pan African Parliament, Advisory Opinion (jurisdiction) (2021) 5 AfCLR 889, § 43.
7 Signed in Addis Ababa on 24 February 2013.
The terms “human rights”, “fundamental rights” or “fundamental freedoms”, are mentioned in the
Charter of the United Nations, as follows: Preamble: “We the Peoples of the United Nations,
8
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