Formal public hearing to mark the start of the 2026–2027 judicial year at the UEMOA Court of Justice

The Court’s formal public hearing to mark the start of the judicial year was held on 5 November 2026 at the Lancaster Hotel in Ouagadougou, on the theme ‘What kind of community justice for the next 30 years?’.

Chaired by President Kuami Gaméli LODONOU, the ceremony was attended by senior judicial officials from Burkina Faso, prominent figures from the high courts of the Member States, and Commissioners, including the representative of the President of the UEMOA Commission. Also present were former members of the UEMOA’s Court of Justice, the President of the Conference of Bar Associations of Member States, and academics who had taken part in the academic symposium held on 3 and 4 November 2026.

Following the opening of the hearing, Jules Chabi MOUKA, the reporting judge, presented his report on the theme of the 2026–2027 judicial year. He reviewed three decades of the court’s work and then proposed ways of adapting it to current developments.

The President then recalled the Court’s achievements since its creation, notably the establishment of the regulatory framework for its judicial activity and the foundations of its case-law policy. He paid tribute to the dedication, commitment and hard work of his predecessors, current members and staff, who have shaped the history and development of the Community court.

Looking ahead, President LODONOU proposed three major areas of focus : facilitating access to Community justice for individuals ; explicitly redefining the Court’s jurisdiction in relation to violations of fundamental rights; modernising procedures; and continuing to raise awareness of Community law amongst legal practitioners, the parties’ legal advisers, and the judicial and academic communities.