Community Court of Justice
PROTOCOL (A/P.l/7/91):
ON THE
COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE
PROTOCOL A/P.l/7/91 ON THE COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE
THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES
MINDFUL of Article 5 of the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African
States, establishing the Authority of Heads of State and Government and defining its
composition and functions;
MINDFUL of the provisions of Article 4 paragraph (e) and Article 11 of the Treaty
relating respectively to the Institutions of the Community and the establishment of a
Community Court of Justice;
AWARE that the essential role of the Community Court of Justice is to ensure the
observance of law and justice in the interpretation and application of the Treaty and
the Protocols and Conventions annexed thereto, and to be seized with responsibility
for settling such disputes as may be referred to it in accordance with the provisions of
Article 56 of the Treaty and disputes between States and the Institutions of the
Community;
DESIROUS of concluding a Protocol defining the composition, competence, statutes
and other matters relating to the Community Court of Justice.
HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS
Article 1: Definition
In this Protocol, the following expressions shall have the meanings assigned to them
hereunder;
“Treaty" means the Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States and
includes Protocols and Conventions annexed thereto;
“Community” means the Economic Community of West African States established by
Article 1 of the Treaty;
"Member State" or "Member States" means a Member State or Member States of
the Community;
"Authority" means Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Community
established by Article 5 of the Treaty;
"Chairman of the Authority" means the current Chairman of the Authority of Heads
of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States;