Swazi Observer

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ESWATINI NOW REPRESENTED IN COMESA COURT

By BONGIWE DLAMINI | 2024-11-26

ESWATINI is now represented in the COMESA Court of Justice’s (CCJ) First Instance Division.
Representing the country in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Court is Justice Mazwendoda Mavuso who was elected together with six others in the division.

The elections were held last Thursday during the 27th Meeting of the COMESA Ministers of Justice and Attorneys General, which was held in Lusaka, Zambia.

The names of the elected judges, including Mavuso’s, would be submitted to the Authority for appointment in line with the COMESA Treaty. The Treaty, as amended in 2004, expanded the CCJ into two divisions.

The lower division, which is known as the court of First Instance, has seven judges, while the upper division of the court which has five Judges is called the Appellate Division.

The COMESA represents a significant commitment to fostering regional integration and economic cooperation among member states. It is dedicated to promoting sustainable development, enhancing trade, and improving the overall welfare of its populations through collaborative efforts and shared resources.

The COMESA Court of Justice is the judicial organ of COMESA. The mandate of this court is to adjudicate and arbitrate on, among other matters, unfair trade practices, interpretation of Treaty Protocols and other legislative Acts and also ensures that member states uniformly implement and comply with agreed decisions.

Decisions of the Court on the interpretation of the provisions of the COMESA Treaty have precedence over decisions of national courts and were binding on all COMESA member states. The court provides certainty that COMESA is a rules-based institution, with rules that can be enforced through a court of law.

appreciated
The attendees of the meeting who represented COMESA member states appreciated Judge President of the COMESA Court of Justice, Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, for the meeting where they got words of guidance and wisdom.

They acknowledged the steady progress made by the organisation in the implementation of the COMESA regional integration agenda over the years.

The attendees of the meeting also assured the president of the COMESA CCJ that they would take time to carefully consider measures that would be taken to support the implementation of various legal instruments that the Authority and Council had adopted in advancing the COMESA regional integration agenda.

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