The Malawi Judiciary delegation poses for a Photo
A delegation from Malawi is attending the Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association (CMJA) annual conference in Kigali, Rwanda. A total of 317 participants from 44 countries are attending the conference.
The conference commenced on 8th September and will end on 12th September, 2024 under the theme, "Environmental Justice". The theme could not have come at a better time than now when the whole world is grappling with issues of climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity, among other challenges.
CMJA was founded in 1970 and has a membership of over 60 countries. The host country, Rwanda, joined CMJA in the year 2004.
In his welcome remarks, Honourable Dr. Faustin Ntezilyayo, Chief Justice of Rwanda, emphasized that the CMJA conference will provide judges and magistrates from the Commonwealth countries with an opportunity to share experiences, network, and address common challenges related to environmental justice. He also called upon the delegates to take their time off the conference and visit places of interest in Rwanda.
Taking her turn, Justice Mrs. Lynne Leitch, President of CMJA emphasized that courts play a crucial role in environmental justice as they hold duty bearers accountable and also protect vulnerable communities.
Opening the conference, His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda noted that countries cannot afford to be complacent about environmental justice. He pointed out that laws are essential to the building of cleaner and sustainable environment. President Kagame pointed out, among other things, that Rwanda banned thin plastics long time ago and that the impact has been so phenomenal.
President Kagame observed that only independent judiciaries can ably interpret and enforce the law. He therefore called upon the conference to also discuss how to tackle and deal with corruption in the judiciaries.
During the three-day conference, various topics aimed at promoting and protecting the environment and strengthening the justice system in the Commonwealth countries will be discussed. Malawi stands to benefit from best practices from other countries on both fronts.
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