On the sidelines of the 89th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) organized a discussion session under its Palaver Tree initiative on the theme: “Strengthening the Preventive Action of Transitional Justice Processes in West Africa and the Sahel: A Strategic Pathway to Sustainable Peace and the Rule of Law.”
Around thirty experts participated in the meeting, including members of the Steering Committee of the NGO Forum, former United Nations independent human rights experts, representatives of civil society organizations from African countries, and students from Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD).
Participants highlighted the high expectations of populations regarding justice and emphasized the role of transitional justice in addressing injustices, fostering reconciliation among communities, and preventing the recurrence of violations and conflicts.
Several countries in the sub-region have established truth, justice, and reconciliation commissions. However, implementing their recommendations remains a significant challenge, despite the fact that such implementation is key to ensuring their preventive impact.
The discussions, which began with a situational overview, pursued two objectives: identifying obstacles that must be overcome to fully implement these recommendations and guarantee victims’ rights to truth, justice, reparation, and non-repetition; and defining initiatives to support States, taking into account the African Union Transitional Justice Policy, adopted in February 2019.
At the conclusion of the discussions, participants called on the United Nations, particularly UNOWAS, to renew and strengthen preventive efforts, especially those aimed at building the political consensus needed to ease tensions and ensure the success of transitional justice processes. They also stressed that political will is a prerequisite and the determining factor for implementing the recommendations of commissions. Furthermore, they underscored the importance of strengthening citizens’ trust in both the judicial system and transitional justice mechanisms.
These recommendations will contribute to enriching initiatives aimed at strengthening national reconciliation and social cohesion, helping to advance sustainable peace across the sub-region.
