The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 77th Ordinary Session, held in Arusha, The United Republic of Tanzania from 20 October to 9 November 2023;
RECALLING its mandate of promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa under Article 45 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter);
ALSO RECALLING that as part of fulfilling its mandate, the Commission has established various mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human and peoples’ rights in Africa;
RECOGNISING its fundamental role to protect vulnerable groups in Africa from human rights violations, including indigenous populations/communities and minority groups, who are currently some of the most vulnerable groups exposed to severe violations of human rights in Africa;
FURTHER RECALLING, Resolutions: ACHPR/Res.123 (XXXXII) 2007; ACHPR/Res.155 (XLV1) 2009; ACHPR/Res.204 (L) 2011; ACHPR/Res.237 (LIII) 2013; ACHPR/Res.249 (LIV) 2013,ACHPR/Res.323 (LVII) 2015; ACHPR/Res. 329 (EXT.OS/XIX) 2016; ACHPR/Res. 354(LIX) 2016; ACHPR/Res.382(LXI) 2017; ACHPR/Res.425 (LXV) 2019; ACHPR/Res.533 (LXXIII) 2022; and ACHPR/RES.553 (LXXV) 2023, all relating to the appointment of members and the renewal of the mandate of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities in Africa (the Working Group);
BEARING IN MIND the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) relating to its Special Mechanisms (adopted during its 27th Extra-Ordinary Session held from 19 February to 4 March 2020, in Banjul, The Gambia) and noting with guidance, the provisions thereof, relating to the working modalities, appointment, the composition, tenure, conduct of mandate holders as well as terms of office of Expert Members; and
NOTING that it's Resolution ACHPR/RES.553 (LXXV) 2023, during the 75th Ordinary Session in Banjul, requested the re-advertisement of the call for the application of expert membership of the Working Group for Northern Africa, with immediate effect, in order to fulfil the requirement of geographical representation stipulated by the SOPs on Special Mechanisms;
FURTHER NOTING that the Secretariat re-advertised the call for applications on the Commission’s website and social media, with 10 September 2023 being a deadline, to enable applications from suitable candidates from North Africa for the expert membership of the Working Group, and has now completed the processing of the applications received;
DECIDES to appoint Dr Mohamed R. Abdelsam as an Expert Member of the Working Group for a term of two years with immediate effects.
Done in Arusha, Tanzania, 09 November 2022
