Algerian Constitutional Court Joins 7th African Jurisdictions Assembly in Zimbabwe
The Algerian Constitutional Court is actively participating in the 7th General Assembly (GA) of the African Conference of Constitutional Jurisdictions (CJCA), taking place from October 30 to November 3 in Zimbabwe, as stated in a release from the Court on Wednesday.
“At the invitation of Mr. Lucke Malaba, Chief Justice and President of the Supreme and Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe, the Constitutional Court, represented by member Naceurdine Saber, will engage in the activities of the 7th General Assembly of the CJCA from October 30 to November 3, 2024, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe,” the statement noted.
During this assembly, themed “Human Dignity as a Foundational Value and Principle: A Source for Constitutional Interpretation, Protection, and Enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights,” the representative of the Constitutional Court will deliver an address on behalf of the Court’s President, Omar Belhadj, titled “Human Dignity as a Fundamental Value and Principle in the Algerian Constitution.”
Naceurdine Saber will discuss human dignity as a value and principle enshrined in the preamble of the Algerian Constitution, which also includes a dedicated section on rights and freedoms, supplemented by constitutional guarantees aimed at safeguarding human dignity. He will further emphasize the establishment of human dignity within constitutional jurisprudence through the powers conferred upon the Constitutional Court, particularly those articulated in the 2020 Constitution, including the interpretation of constitutional provisions.
The CJCA serves as a continental forum for constitutional jurisdictions to exchange insights and experiences on issues related to constitutional justice, with the goal of promoting universal values and principles related to the rule of law, democracy, and human rights across Africa.
The 7th GA of the conference will feature participation from courts, constitutional councils, and supreme courts from member countries, along with observer members from Iraq, Russia, and Turkey.
The Constitutional Court of Austria will also attend the event as a special guest, joining representatives from the African Union (AU), the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the European Commission for Democracy through Law, the Congress of European Constitutional Courts, and various civil society organizations, including the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL) and the International League of Jurists.
It is noteworthy that the creation of the CJCA was initiated by Algeria, following a decision by the AU adopted during the meeting of Heads of State and Government held from July 25 to 27, 2010, in Kampala, Uganda. This decision led to the establishment of the CJCA during its founding congress on May 7 and 8, 2011, in Algiers, with participation from 25 African courts, constitutional councils, and supreme courts.
Currently, the CJCA comprises 48 African constitutional jurisdictions and four non-African constitutional judicial bodies, specifically Brazil, Russia, Turkey, and Iraq, which are observer members. Algeria hosts both the headquarters and the permanent secretariat of the CJCA, thereby contributing to the advancement of constitutional justice on the African continent and reinforcing its role in establishing and upholding the values of the rule of law and justice, according to the aforementioned source.
