The African Climate Platform (ACP) has welcomed Sierra Leone’s ratification of the Protocol on the Establishment of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, describing the move as a significant boost to human rights protection across the continent.
The ratification, led by President Julius Maada Bio, marks a major step for Sierra Leone as the African Court celebrates its 20th anniversary. Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay steered the domestic legislative process that culminated in the country becoming a State Party to the Protocol.
In May 2025, the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), in collaboration with the ACP, submitted a landmark application to the Court seeking clarification of States’ human rights obligations in addressing climate change. The request provides compelling evidence of the devastating impacts of climate change across the continent—from rising temperatures and unrelenting droughts to catastrophic floods and threats to livelihoods. These phenomena threaten numerous rights protected under the African Charter, including the rights to life, health, food, development, and a satisfactory environment, as set out in Article 24.
According to the ACP, Sierra Leone’s ratification of the Protocol is significant to the advisory opinion proceedings as “it enhances the Court’s legitimacy and authority to issue advisory opinions on critical continental issues; build a critical mass of State Parties, thereby strengthening the Court’s standing as a credible continental judicial body; individuals and NGOs will have direct access to the Court to seek justice for human rights violations, including those arising from climate impacts. This would be transformative for climate-affected communities in Sierra Leone and beyond.”
Leading voices across the continent have welcomed the development.
Leading voices across the continent have welcomed the development. Alfred Bronwell, Lead Campaigner at the ACP, said Sierra Leone is shifting the paradigm of African climate advocacy from reliance on moral persuasion to the enforcement of binding legal obligations. He added that “Africa has contributed the least to global emissions, yet our communities bear the devastating, disproportionate brunt of this crisis.” Bronwell further stated that Sierra Leone’s integration into the African Court Protocol codifies environmental protection as an unassailable human right and sets a powerful regional example for other African states.
Fatima Diallo, Chairperson of the African Climate Platform, described the ratification as exactly the kind of leadership the continent needs as it seeks accountability for the climate crisis.
Mucktarr Raschid Esq., an environmental rights lawyer and campaigner with the ACP’s Sierra Leone Chapter, warmly welcomed the Honourable Minister’s initiative. He noted that the African Court complements national courts by providing an additional avenue for justice where domestic remedies have been exhausted.
Aminata Finda Massaquoi, a journalist and rights advocate in Sierra Leone, said she joins citizens in commending the government for recognising that the fight against climate change is fundamentally a fight for human rights. She added that “This historic move bridges the gap between environmental justice and judicial power, ensuring that our right to a safe, healthy planet is legally protected.”
Esther Kandeh of Women on Mining and Extractive Industries stated that Sierra Leone has sent a powerful message across the continent by backing legal accountability for climate promises.
The African Climate Platform is a coalition of over 100 African civil society organisations, human rights defenders, lawyers, and community groups working to advance climate justice on the continent.
