Tanzania: African rights network seals deal with African rights court.

The NANHRI chief agreed the partnership with the regional rights court recently, handing the structure the responsibility of organising capacity-building sessions for national human rights institutions, NHRIs, on the continent as part of a broader cooperation between the two regional bodies.

The deal was sealed during an audience the President of the African Court, Prof Blaise Tchikaya, granted the NANHRI boss, Prof Mouangue Kobila, in the Tanzanian city of Arusha.

The audience was also attended by the Deputy Registrar of the African Court, Grace Wakio Kakai, the personal assistant of the continental court and the officer responsible for relations with national human rights institutions alongside the Programme Manager at the African Institute of International Law, Prof Mathias Sahinkuye.

Prof Mouangue Kobila who is also the Chairperson of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission held the meeting shortly after participating in the court’s solemn opening ceremony.

The opening ceremony which served as the launch of the structure’s 2026 judicial year and the start of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the institution was attended among others by the president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama.

NANHRI breaking grounds 

During the audience, Prof Mouangue Kobila agreed on multiple priority actions with the African Court with the principal target being that centered around further enhancing cooperation between national human rights institutions across the continent and the African court.

One of the overall most strategic among the priority actions is the partnership which hands the African Court’s the responsibility of strengthening the capacities of national rights bodies in the region through capacity-building programs supported by the African Institute of International Law. 

According to NANHRI, the newly-agreed partnership is expected to add to the several other actions that the leadership of the continental rights network under the coordination of its new president, Prof Mouangue Kobila, is looking to introduce in its bid to continuously boost the wider human rights promotion drive in Africa.

Asides the partnership, Prof Mouangue Kobila and Prof Tchikaya focused their discussion during the recent audience on the status of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed on June 4, 2024, between NANHRI and the African Court. 

Prof Mouangue Kobila, on the theme, highlighted what he described as the several tangible developments that have been registered since the signing, including the invitations extended by the Court to NANHRI to intervene as “a friend of the court” in two pending cases.

He also referenced the provision to the Court of information and documentary resources from national human rights institutions in relation to their respective countries, as well as the strengthening of communication channels and opportunities for dialogue between the two structures.

Prof Mouangue Kobila who was voted the president of NANHRI last month, equally referenced the designation, within national human rights institutions, of focal points dedicated to African mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights. 

He also used the audience to officially present to the President of the African Court the updated list of focal points for the national human rights institutions alongside the 2025 Compendium of Statements and press releases of the Cameroon Human Rights Commission.

The article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3728 of Wednesday March 11, 2026