President John Dramani Mahama is set to deliver the keynote address at the solemn opening of the 2026 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania.

The ceremony, which will also officially launch the commemoration of the Court’s 20th anniversary, is scheduled for Monday, March 2, 2026, at the Kibo Hall within the Court’s premises in the Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania.

President Mahama is expected to arrive as Guest of Honour at 11:00 a.m. East African Time. He will first hold a closed-door meeting with the President of the Court, Honourable Justice Blaise Tchikaya, before the commencement of formal proceedings.

His keynote address is slated for 1:15 p.m., following remarks by the President of the Court on the new judicial year and the milestone anniversary.

The ceremony is themed “20 Years of Service in Protecting Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa” and will bring together senior judicial figures, diplomats and representatives of continental and international institutions. The event will be held in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person participation and virtual attendance via Zoom.

Goodwill messages are expected from several high-profile figures. Among them are Honourable Zainab Athuman Katimba, MP and Deputy Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs of Tanzania, representing the host nation; Ms Sophia Ebby, Coordinator of the African Court Coalition; and a representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The African Union will also feature prominently, with a video message from Ambassador Selma Malika Haddadi, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, and virtual remarks from Honourable Idrissa Sow, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. His Excellency Willy Nyamitwe, Ambassador of Burundi and Chairperson of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the African Union, will deliver remarks in person.

Proceedings will begin with the arrival and registration of guests from 8:00 a.m., followed by the solemn procession of the Honourable Judges at 11:15 a.m. The national anthems of Tanzania and Ghana, as well as that of the African Union, will be played before introductory remarks by the Director of Programme and Deputy Registrar, Ms Grace Wakio Kakai.

A key highlight of the event will be the official launch of the Court’s new website, alongside the formal declaration opening the judicial year and the commencement of the 20th anniversary activities.

The ceremony will conclude with a vote of thanks by the Vice President of the Court, Honourable Lady Justice Chafika Bensaoula. Group photographs and light refreshments will follow, with a cocktail reception scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at a venue to be announced.

The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights was established to complement and reinforce the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, with a mandate to ensure the protection of human and peoples’ rights across the continent.