Geneva, 9 September 2026 – The Committee for Justice (CFJ) convened today a high-level side event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva entitled “From Banjul to Geneva: Strengthening Coordination between African and United Nations Human Rights Mechanisms on Sudan,” on the margins of the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
The event brought together senior representatives of African and United Nations human rights mechanisms working on Sudan to discuss practical avenues for strengthening coordination, complementarity, civilian protection, documentation, accountability, and the meaningful participation of Sudanese civil society, victims, and affected communities.
The panel featured Hon. Commissioner Hatem Essaiem, Vice-Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and Head of its Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan; Mr. Radhouane Nouicer, Designated Expert on human rights in Sudan of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Dr. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Member of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan; and Ahmed Mefreh, Executive Director of the Committee for Justice (CFJ). The discussion was moderated by Kholood Khair, Founding Director of Confluence Advisory.
The Geneva discussion built on the momentum generated in Banjul in May 2026, where African and United Nations fact-finding mechanisms strengthened their engagement on Sudan, culminating in the adoption of the Banjul Joint Declaration on Sudan. The Declaration marked an important step towards closer coordination and complementarity between regional and international mechanisms responding to the grave human rights situation in the country.
Today’s event provided an opportunity to carry this dialogue forward and consider how institutional commitments can be translated into more consistent and practical cooperation. Discussions addressed in particular ways to strengthen information and expertise sharing, avoid duplication, improve the protection of victims and witnesses, support documentation and evidence-preservation efforts, and reinforce pathways towards accountability for serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
Participants also highlighted the importance of ensuring that cooperation between African and UN mechanisms remains closely connected to the realities facing Sudanese communities. Sudanese civil society organizations, human rights defenders, victims’ groups, and local documentation initiatives possess critical knowledge and evidence and should be able to engage safely and meaningfully with both regional and international mechanisms.
The event was held within the broader framework of the Addis Ababa Roadmap, which provides a framework for cooperation between the Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council and those of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. CFJ stressed that strengthened cooperation and coordination must fully respect and preserve the independence, distinct mandates, and working methods of each institution. Effective coordination should complement, rather than compromise, the independent exercise of their respective functions.
For CFJ, the progression from Banjul to Geneva demonstrates the value of maintaining structured dialogue between African and United Nations mechanisms at a time when the human rights and humanitarian situation in Sudan continues to demand coordinated international and regional action.
CFJ will continue working with African and UN human rights mechanisms, Sudanese civil society organizations, victims and survivors, and regional and international partners to strengthen cooperation and ensure that accountability and the protection of civilians remain at the centre of responses to the crisis in Sudan.
