The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission) wishes to inform the general public of the postponement of the 66th Ordinary Session, which was scheduled to be held from 22 April to 12 May 2020 in Banjul, The Gambia.
Following the press statement it issued on COVID19 and the advisory it adopted to give effect toAfrican Union COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness and Action Plan issued by the African Union Commission on 13 March 2020,the Commission has decided to postpone the 66th Ordinary Session as part of the measures it adopted to prevent the spread of the virus and protect participants and stafffrom the virus.
The Commission will regularly monitor the situation and subject to further confirmation based on the evolution of the situation and further guidelines from the AUC, the 66th OS is tentatively scheduled to take place during May/June 2020.
The Commission takes this opportunity to applaud States Parties to the African Charter that have adopted the required measures for containing the spread of the virus including through the declaration of a state of national disaster and reiterates its statement of 28 February 2020 that States Parties are legally bound under the African Charter to take all necessary human and peoples’ rights based measures for preventing the threat this pandemic poses to the life, safety and health of the public.
Honourable Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso
Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
Banjul, The Gambia, 17 March 2020
