Resolution on the Appointment of Expert Members of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities in Africa

Resolution on the appointment of Expert Members of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities in Africa - ACHPR/RES.553 (LXXV) 2023

Jun 15, 2023

The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 75th Ordinary Session, held in Banjul, The Gambia from 3 to 23 May 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 serious 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; and ACHPR/Res.533 (LXXIII) 2022; 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 its Resolution ACHPR/Res.533 (LXXIII) 2022 on the Renewal of the Mandate, Appointment of the Chairperson, and Reconstitution of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities and Minorities in Africa adopted during the 73rd Ordinary Session in Banjul, requested the re-advertisement of the call for application of expert membership of the Working Group for Southern 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 between 10 February and 27 March 2023, to enable applications from suitable candidates from North and Southern Africa for the expert membership of the Working Group, and has now completed the processing of the applications received;

Decides to:

i.Appoint Dr Leonard Mukosi (Sjd) as an Expert Member (Southern Africa) as an Expert Member of the Working Group for a term of two years with effect from 23 May 2023; and

ii.Request the re-advertisement of the call for the appointment of an expert member of the Working Group from the North Africa Region, with immediate effect, to fulfil the requirement of geographical representation as well as the maximum membership threshold stipulated by the applicable SOPs.

Done in Banjul, The Gambia, 23rd May 2023