The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 81st Ordinary Session, held in Banjul, The Gambia, from 17th October to 6th November 2024;
Recalling its mandate to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa under Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter);
Considering that as part of fulfilling its mandate, the Commission has established various special mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa;
Recognizing its fundamental role to protect vulnerable groups generally and indigenous people and minorities in particular in Africa, from human rights violations;
Reaffirming its previous Resolutions: ACHPR/Res.51(XXVIII)00 establishing a Working Group of Experts on the Rights of Indigenous or Ethnic Communities; Resolution ACHPR/Res. 65(XXXIV) 03 which adopted the Report of the Working Group and also re-constituted the Working Group as a Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa and vested it with a mandate; and Resolution ACHPR/Res. 455 (LXVI) 2020 adopted at the 66th Ordinary Session, which expanded the mandate of the Working Group to include the rights of minorities and amended the title of the mandate as the “Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities in Africa”;
Bearing in mind the Standard Operating Procedures on the Special Mechanisms of the Commission (the SOPs on Special Mechanisms) adopted at its 27th Extraordinary Session held from 19th February to 4th March 2020 in Banjul, The Gambia;
Noting in particular the guidelines set out in the SOPs on Special Mechanisms, including the general roles and responsibilities of mandate holders, the composition of the mechanisms, the appointment of members and the duration of their mandate as well as the code of conduct for mandate holders;
Noting Resolution ACHPR/Res.533 (LXXIII) 2022, which appointed Commissioner Litha Musyimi-Ogana, as Chairperson of the Working Group, for a period of two years effective 09 November 2022, and renewed the mandate of Commissioner Marie Louise Abomo, as the Vice-Chairperson of the Working Group, for the same period; and appointed Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, as a Member of the Working Group for the same period; Further Noting that the same Resolution renewed the mandate of the following expert members for the same period (two years): Dr. Pag-Yendu M. Yentcharé (West Africa); Ms. Hawe Hamman Bouba (Central Africa); and appointed Mr. Samuel Tilahun Tessema (Eastern Africa), as an Expert Member for the same period;
Noting Resolution ACHPR/RES.553 (LXXV)2023, which appointed Dr. Leonard Mukosi (Sjd) (Southern Africa) as an Expert Member of the Working Group for a term of two years with effect from 23 May 2023; and Noting ACHPR/Res.576 (LXXVII) 2023, which appointed Dr. Mohamed R. Abdelsam as an Expert Member of the Working Group for a term of two years with effect from 6 November 2023.
Noting with appreciation the work done by the Working Group under the leadership of its Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson in the discharge of its mandate;
THE COMMISSION:
Decides to renew the mandate of the following members of the Working Group for a period of two (2) years with effect from 6 November 2024:
i. Commissioner Litha Musyimi-Ogana, as Chairperson of the Working Group
ii. Commissioner Marie Louise Abomo, as the Vice-Chairperson of the Working Group;
iii. Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, as a Member of the Working Group;
iv. Dr. Pag-Yendu M. Yentcharé as an Expert Member of the Working Group; (West Africa);
v. Ms. Hawe Hamman Bouba as an Expert Member of the Working Group; (Central Africa);
vi. Mr. Samuel Tilahun Tessema as an Expert Member of the Working Group; (Eastern Africa);
Done in Banjul, The Republic of The Gambia, 6th November 2024
