.Lome, 8 September 2022 (TDI): The Sixth Edition of the Continental Transitional Justice Forum is taking place from 7-9 September.
The African Union Commission (Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security) and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) conducted the event. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Togo (HCRRUN) was in collaboration.
Continental Transitional Justice Forum
The Forum is an annual multi-stakeholder platform. It aims at reviewing the state of Transitional Justice (TJ) in Africa with the goal of strengthening TJ mechanisms and practices.
This review identifies emerging issues that present new opportunities for transitional justice theory, practice, and policy interventions. While this edition of the Forum is the sixth in a row.
It is the fourth continental dialogue following adopting the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP) in February 2019. Moreover, it is the third convening during the COVID-19 pandemic on the continent.
The AUTJP is a continental framework that provides guidance to African Union member states. It also highlights how to recover from protracted violent conflicts while building peace, strengthening democratic governance, and advancing socio-economic development.
The African Union Transitional Justice Policy remains one of the viable instruments for addressing violent conflict, insecurity and democratic deficits in Africa pic.twitter.com/pywSu3GOxT
— Amb. Bankole Adeoye (@Bankole_Adeoye) September 7, 2022
Both the AUTJP and the TJ Study represent the key instruments of the AU on transitional justice for guidance to the AU Member States and Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
The forum will be convened within a context that presents emerging opportunities and challenges for transitional justice in Africa.
Agenda of 2022
The African Union has declared 2022 as the year of “Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent. Strengthening Agro-Food Systems, Health and Social Protection Systems for the Acceleration of Human, Social and Economic Capital Development”.
For transitional justice in Africa, the AU theme for 2022 is an opportunity to address the interconnected concerns of development and justice. The majority of armed conflicts, today occur in countries with low levels of development.
