Honourable Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves from Cabo Verde has been elected as the new President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice for a two-year term, following an election among the Court’s five judges. The announcement was made on Monday, October 14, 2024, marking the start of Justice Gonçalves’ tenure, succeeding Hon. Justice Edward Amoako Asante of Ghana, who held the presidency for six years beginning on July 31, 2018.

In the same election, Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma from Sierra Leone was elected as Vice-President, taking over from Hon. Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire. Both Justice Gonçalves and Justice Koroma were sworn in on October 6, 2022, in Guinea Bissau by then-President of the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State and Government, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. They will serve a non-renewable term of four years.

In his inaugural speech, President Gonçalves committed to two key principles: responsibility and dialogue. He pledged to uphold the Court’s mission of being an independent, reliable, efficient, and accessible institution, aligned with ECOWAS laws. He also highlighted the necessity of maintaining continuous dialogue with other ECOWAS institutions, Member States, civil society, and stakeholders, while ensuring responsible financial management of the Court’s resources.

The three remaining judges of the ECOWAS Court include outgoing President Justice Edward Amoako Asante (Ghana), outgoing Vice-President Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara (Côte d’Ivoire), and Justice Dupe Atoki (Nigeria).