The Africa Group for Justice and Accountability (AGJA) and its secretariat, the Wayamo Foundation, are extremely pleased to announce that Fatou Bensouda has joined the Group.
Ms. Bensouda has a long and distinguished career in international criminal law. From 2012-2021, she was the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and had previously served as Deputy Prosecutor of the ICC (2004-2012) and worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Prior to her career in international law, Ms. Bensouda held the posts of Justice Minister and Attorney-General of The Gambia (1998-2000). In recognition of her efforts, Ms. Bensouda has received numerous accolades, including her nomination as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2012 and the BBC’s 100 Women in 2015.
Ms. Bensouda will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the work of the AGJA. Needless to say, both the Group and Wayamo are delighted by Ms. Bensouda’s addition to the organisation and look forward to working with her to further justice and accountability efforts in Africa and beyond.
The AGJA supports efforts to strengthen justice and accountability measures in Africa through domestic and regional capacity building, advice and outreach, and enhances cooperation between Africa and the International Criminal Court. It comprises senior African experts on international criminal law and human rights, including political figures, members of international and domestic tribunals, and human rights advocates.
The members of the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability are:
- Fatiha Serour (Algeria), former Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Somalia and member of the Global Women Leaders Voices for Change and Inclusion
- Dapo Akande (Nigeria), Professor of Public International Law, University of Oxford
- Fatou Bensouda (Gambia), former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
- Hassan Bubacar Jallow (Gambia), Chief Justice of the Gambia, former Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
- Richard Goldstone (South Africa), former Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia
- Betty Kaari Murungi (Kenya), transitional justice expert, Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, and Professor of practice, SOAS
- Navi Pillay (South Africa), former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic), former Transitional President of the Central African Republic
- Abdul Tejan-Cole (Sierra Leone), former Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa
Members on hiatus:
- Zainab Hawa Bangura (Sierra Leone) Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) and former UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
- Mohamed Chande Othman (Tanzania), former Chief Justice of Tanzania
Emeritus members:
- Athaliah Molokomme (Botswana), Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Botswana to Switzerland and the UN Office in Geneva, and former Attorney-General of Botswana
- Tiyanjana Maluwa (Malawi), H. Laddie Montague Chair in Law, Pennsylvania State University School of Law; Former Associate Dean for International Affairs, School of Law & Director, School of International Affairs
- Femi Falana (Nigeria) human rights activist and lawyer
