BANJUL, THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA
07 TO 15 OCTOBER 2025 and 21 TO 30 OCTOBER 2025
1. In accordance with Article 64 (2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter), read in conjunction with Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) (2020), the Commission held its 85th Ordinary Session (the Session) comprising of a virtual session from 07 – 15 October 2025 (private session) and followed by a physical session from 21 – 30 October 2025 (public session) in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia. Furthermore, the Commission held private deliberations within the framework of the public physical session, on 28 and 29 October 2025, in accordance with its Rules of Procedure.
2. The following Members of the Commission attended the 85th Ordinary Session:
i. Honourable Commissioner Idrissa Sow; Chairperson;
ii. Honourable Commissioner Hatem Essaiem; Vice Chairperson;
iii. Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso;
iv. Honourable Commissioner Maria Teresa Manuela;
v. Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu;
vi. Honourable Commissioner Mudford Zachariah Mwandenga;
vii. Honourable Commissioner Marie Louise Abomo;
viii. Honourable Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie;
ix. Honourable Commissioner Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo;
x. Honourable Commissioner Litha Musiyimi Ogana; and
xi. Honourable Commissioner Selma Sassi-Safer.
3. The 85th Ordinary Session commenced with the Private Session conducted virtually from 7 to 15 October 2025, under the leadership of the Chairperson of the Commission, Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, with the assistance of the Vice-Chairperson, Honourable Commissioner Janet Ramatoulie Sallah-Njie.
4. During the Private Session, the Commission examined and adopted the following reports and documents:
i. The Commission’s Strategic Plan 2026-2028;
ii. Report on Promotion Mission to Seychelles;
iii. Report on Follow-up Action Points from the 84th Ordinary Session;
iv. Status update on the Study of the Use of Force in prisons;
v. Guidelines on Seizure of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Court) by the Commission;
vi. Request on Applications for Observer and affiliate Status;
vii. Applications for Observer Status;
viii. 2025 Workplan Implementation Status and 2026 Workplan;
ix. Report of the Advisory Committee on Budgetary and Staff Matters (ACBSM), and
x. Report of the Resolutions Committee.
5. The Commission examined the following documents and considered:
i. Paper on Article 56(7) of the African Charter;
ii. Baseline Report on the Status of Implementation of Decisions on Communications of the Commission (1994 - 2024).
iii. Request for guidance on the draft study “Mapping Indigenous Populations/Communities in Africa”; and
iv. Request for guidance on the draft study on “Mapping Ethnic, Cultural, Linguistic and Regional Minorities in Africa”
6. The Commission examined the following twelve (12) Communications:
i. Nine (9) Communications on admissibility; with six (6) declared admissible and three declared (3) inadmissible;
ii. Two (2) Communications Struck Out; and
iii. One (1) Communication requiring Provisional Measures.
7. The Commission conducted an Oral Hearing on Merit concerning Communication 779/22: Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma v. South Africa.
8. The Commission adopted three (3) Country Resolutions:
i. Resolution on the Extension of the Mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on the Republic of The Sudan;
ii. Resolution on Justice for Victims since 1997 of Serious and Massive Human Rights Violations and International Crimes in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and
iii. Resolution on the Ceasefire in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
9. The Commission adopted four (4) Thematic Resolutions:
i. Resolution on the Obligations of African States in the Context of the Externalization of Migration Governance and the Extra-Regional Transfer of Migrants to Africa;
ii. Resolution for the Conduct of the Working Group’s draft study on Mapping Indigenous populations and communities in Africa;
iii. Resolution for the Conduct of the Working Group’s draft study on Mapping Ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and regional minorities in Africa; and
iv. Resolution on supporting citizen election observers and strengthening electoral integrity in Africa.
10. The Commission adopted three (3) Administrative Resolutions:
i. Resolution on the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Internally Displaced Persons and Migrants in Africa;
ii. Resolution on the Reconstitution of the Resolutions Committee; and
iii. Resolution on the Reconstitution of the Working Group on Communications.
11. In accordance with its Resolution on the criteria for granting and maintaining Affiliate Status with National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), the Commission granted Affiliate Status to the National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
12. Pursuant to its Resolution on the criteria for granting and maintaining Observer Status for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Africa, the Commission granted Observer Status to the following six (6) NGOs:
i. African Disability Forum (ADF);
ii. Human Rights and Forest Brain Africa (HURIFBA);
iii. Kutakesa Association, Movement of Human Rights Defenders of the Republic of Angola;
iv. Active Network for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (RAPAPDI);
v. MOSAIKO; and
vi. Voice of Women.
13. This brings the total number of NGOs with Observer Status with the Commission to five hundred and ninety-two (592) and the total number of NHRIs and Specialized Human Rights Institutions with Affiliate Status with the Commission to thirty-nine (39).
14. The Commission considered and adopted the public session agenda.
15. The Public Session of the 85th Ordinary Session commenced with an Opening Ceremony held on 21 October 2025 at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, Banjul, Republic of The Gambia. It was presided over by Honourable Serring Modou Njie, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of The Gambia, and Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, then Chairperson of the Commission.
16. During the Opening Ceremony, key Statements were delivered by:
i. Mme Hannah Foster, Executive Director of the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights Studies, on behalf of the NGO Forum Steering Committee;
ii. Dr. Joseph Whittal, Chairperson of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions, on behalf of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI);
iii. H.E. Javier Niño Pérez, EU Ambassador to the African Union, on behalf of H.E. Ms. Kajsa Ollengren, the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights;
iv. Mr. Mahamane Cissé-Gouro, Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Bodies Mechanism Division, on behalf of H.E. Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;
v. Honourable Wilson De Almeida Adao, Chairperson of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child;
vi. Honourable Lady Justice Stella I. Anukam, on behalf of the President of the African Court;
vii. Honourable Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the Pan African Parliament;
viii. H.E. Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, Permanent Representative of Burundi to the African Union, and Chairperson of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the African Union’s Subcommittee on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance, on behalf of the African Union Policy Organs;
ix. H.E. Samuel Mbemba Kabuya Ntanda, Minister of Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on behalf of States Parties to the African Charter;
x. Honourable Rémy Ngoy Lumbu, Chairperson of the Commission;
xi. H. E. Mr. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and
xii. H.E Mr. Serring Modou Njie, Minister of Foreign Affairs, representing Honourable Dawda A. Jallow, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Republic of The Gambia, on behalf of the Host Government – the Republic of The Gambia,
17. All the statements made during the Opening Ceremony are available on the Commission’s website.
18. The Opening Session was followed by the commemoration of Africa Human Rights Day on 21 October 2025, marking the coming into force of the African Charter.
19. Soon after the Opening Session, the Commission retreated to a closed session to elect its new Bureau, which shall serve for two (2) years. The new Bureau comprises Honourable Commissioner Idrissa Sow, elected as Chairperson, and Honourable Commissioner Hatem Essaiem, elected as Vice Chairperson.
20. The substantive program of the Session was presided over by the newly elected Chairperson of the Commission, Honourable Commissioner Idrissa Sow, with the assistance of the newly elected Vice Chairperson of the Commission, Honourable Commissioner Hatem Essaiem.
21. During the Public Session, the Commission held a Press Conference to publish the Report of the Commission’s Joint Fact-Finding Mission on the Situation in the Republic of The Sudan.
22. NHRIs, NGOs, and Member States presented key outcomes of their Forums held on the margins of the Session. At the Forum of Member States, Member States extended a vote of thanks to Honourable Commissioner Rémy Ngoy Lumbu for his exemplary leadership as Chairperson of the Commission.
23. A total of one thousand and sixty-two (1062) Delegates attended the Session, including: one hundred and sixty-seven (167) representing States Parties from twenty-nine (29) countries; twenty-seven (27) representing Organs of the AU; forty-one (41) representatives of international and inter-governmental organisations; forty-five (45) representatives of NHRIs; five hundred and fifty-seven (557) representatives of African and International NGOs; one hundred and seventy eight (178) other Observers; forty-seven (47) Press and Media Organizations; and fifty-five (55) representing the Commission.
24. The Representatives of the following sixteen (16) State Parties made statements on the human rights situation in their respective countries:
i. Peoples’ Democratic Republic of Algeria;
ii. Republic of Angola;
iii. Republic of Chad;
iv. Republic of Guinea-Bissau,
v. Kingdom of Eswatini;
vi. State of Eritrea;
vii. Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia;
viii. Republic of Ghana;
ix. Republic of Kenya;
x. Kingdom of Lesotho;
xi. Republic of The Gambia;
xii. Islamic Republic of Mauritania;
xiii. Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic;
xiv. Republic of Senegal;
xv. Republic of South Africa; and
xvi. Republic of Uganda.
25. Representatives of Fourteen (14) NHRIs with Affiliate Status with the Commission made statements on the human rights situation in their respective countries. These are:
i. National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Burkina Faso;
ii. South Africa Human Rights Commission;
iii. Ethiopian Human Rights Commission;
iv. Independent National Commission for Human Rights in the Republic of Burundi;
v. Commission for Gender Equality of South Africa;
vi. National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Rwanda;
vii. National Human Rights Commission of The Gambia;
viii. National Human Rights Commission of Sudan;
ix. The Republic of Cameroon Human Rights Commission;
x. National Human Rights Commission of Senegal;
xi. Kenya National Commission on Human Rights;
xii. National Human Rights Commission of Algeria;
xiii. National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship of the Republic of Cape Verde; and
xiv. The Republic of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission.
26. Sixty (60) NGOs with Observer Status with the Commission made statements on the human rights situation in Africa.
27. Two (2) International and Intergovernmental Organisations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has Observer Status before the Commission, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights—also made statements.
28. Thirteen (13) State Parties to the African Charter exercised their right of reply: Peoples’ Democratic Republic of Algeria; Republic of Angola; Republic of Côte d'Ivoire; Kingdom of Eswatini; Republic of Ethiopia; State of Eritrea; Republic of Kenya; Kingdom of Lesotho; Republic of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Republic of Senegal; Republic of South Africa; Republic of Uganda; and Republic of Zimbabwe.
29. With a view to strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights on the continent, several panel discussions on various themes were held during the Session:
i. Panel on the 60th Anniversary of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;
ii. Panel on Externalization of Migration Management: Legal Issues, Current Challenges, and the Responsibilities of African States;
iii. Panel on the Right to the Environment in Africa;
iv. Panel on the Protocols on the Rights of Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities: One Year After Their Entry into Force - Lessons Learned and Future Perspectives for Enhanced Rights Protection;
v. Panel on Extrajudicial Killings in the Context of the Fight Against Terrorism in Africa;
vi. Panel on the Study on Prisons;
vii. Panel on the Current Human Rights Situation in The Sudan;
viii. Panel on the African Union’s Theme of the Year 2025/Decade on Reparations;
ix. Panel on Strategies for Advancing the Implementation of ACHPR Decisions: Reflections, Experiences and New Directions; and
x. Panel on Advocacy for the Continental Ratification and Implementation of the Treaties under the Commission Monitoring.
30. The Commission launched the following documents:
i. 18th Newsletter on Policing and Human Rights;
ii. 4th Edition of the Newsletter of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa; and
iii. 2025 Newsletter of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture in Africa.
31. The Commission reported on the status of its relations and cooperation with NHRIs and specialized institutions, highlighting that 38 institutions have been granted Affiliate Status but noting a significant compliance issue, as 30 of them have one or more overdue activity reports.
32. The Commission presented the status of States Parties Periodic Reporting under Article 62 of the African Charter, highlighting that seven (7) countries are up to date; four (4) countries are in the review cycle; thirteen (13) have one overdue report; four (4) have two overdue reports; one (1) country has three overdue reports, nineteen (19) countries have more than three overdue reports, and six (6) countries have not yet submitted their initial reports.
33. The Commission considered the following:
i. 4th to 5th Periodic Report of the Republic of Botswana under the African Charter;
ii. 18th to 19th Periodic Report of the Arab Republic of Egypt under the African Charter; and
iii. 10th to 18th Periodic Report of the Tunisian Republic under the African Charter and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol).
34. Members of the Commission presented their intersessional reports to highlight the activities undertaken in their capacities as Commissioners, Country Rapporteurs, and Special Mechanism mandate holders. The presentation of these reports generated interventions/responses from State Delegates, NHRIs, and representatives of CSOs.
35. The Commission decided to hold its 86th Private Ordinary Session, virtually, at a date to be determined. Details of the next Ordinary Session will be made available on the Commission’s website in due course.
36. The Commission expresses its sincere gratitude to States Parties, International Organizations, NHRIs, NGOs, and all stakeholders who participated in this Ordinary Session.
37. The Commission extends its deep appreciation to the Outgoing Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson for their dedicated leadership and service to the Commission.
38. The Commission also expresses its profound gratitude to H.E. Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia, the Government and the People of the Republic of The Gambia for hosting the 85th Ordinary Session, the hospitality and facilities accorded to the Commission, its staff, and participants of the Session.
39. The Closing Ceremony of the 85th Ordinary Session took place on 30 October 2025.
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