President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in the United Republic of Tanzania to participate in the solemn opening of the 2026 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, where he is expected to deliver the keynote address as Guest of Honour.
The President touched down at Kilimanjaro International Airport on the eve of the ceremony and was warmly received by Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo.
Also at the airport to welcome the Ghanaian leader were Ghana’s High Commissioner to Kenya, accredited to Tanzania, H.E. Paul Evans Aidoo, and Supreme Court Judge Dennis Dominic Adjei, who also serves as a member of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
President Mahama was accompanied by senior government officials, including Presidential Advisor Joyce Bawa Mogtari and the Legal Advisor to the President, Marietta Agyeiwaa Brew.
The warm reception underscored the strong diplomatic relations between Ghana and Tanzania, as well as Ghana’s enduring commitment to continental institutions dedicated to justice and human rights.
President John Dramani Mahama is scheduled to grace the ceremony on Monday morning, 2nd March 2026, at the Kibo Hall within the Court’s premises in Arusha.
According to the official programme, he will arrive at the venue at 11:00 a.m. (East African Time) and hold a courtesy meeting with the President of the African Court, Blaise Tchikaya, ahead of the formal proceedings.
President Mahama’s keynote address is scheduled for later in the day, following reflections by the President of the Court on the new judicial year and the milestone anniversary.
The ceremony, themed “20 Years of Service in Protecting Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa,” will also officially launch activities marking the Court’s 20th anniversary.
The high-level event will be held in a hybrid format, bringing together dignitaries from across the continent both in person and virtually via Zoom.
Goodwill messages are expected from representatives of the host nation, the African Union Commission, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the United Nations.
A major highlight of the ceremony will be the official launch of the Court’s new website, which will coincide with the declaration opening the 2026 Judicial Year.
Proceedings will conclude with a vote of thanks delivered by the Vice President of the Court, Chafika Bensaoula.
President Mahama’s participation is widely regarded as a reaffirmation of Ghana’s longstanding commitment to the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and the strengthening of African Union judicial and governance institutions.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
