Many institutions and individual Gambians have welcomed the nomination of Mr Abubacarr Tambedou for the position of a judge in the International Court of Justice. Since the announcement a few days ago, many individuals have conveyed their endorsement of it through the media and other news outlets.
The latest endorsement came from the Gambia Bar Association which said that it is proud to fully support the nomination of its member. Mr Tambedou was onetime justice minister of The Gambia, where he did a remarkable job. This was during the transition from dictatorship to democracy.
The Gambia Bar Association spoke about Mr Tambedou’s unwavering commitment to the rule of law, profound legal acumen, and exceptional leadership qualities, describing him as an outstanding candidate poised to enhance the ICJ’s credibility and success. Mr Tambedou will bring a load of experience to the position.
Mr Tambedou was elected the Chair of the African Union Specialized Technical Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs by his peers in the African Union. The Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also elected him as Chair of the OIC Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee on Accountability for Human Rights Violations Against the Rohingya.
While serving as justice minister of The Gambia, Mr Tambedou led efforts in the country’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice under the 1948 Genocide Convention, and in January 2020 successfully obtained the unprecedented provisional measures order against Myanmar for the protection of the Rohingya.
Mr Tambadou worked extremely hard in The Gambia’s transitional justice journey. He spearheaded efforts to set up the Truth Reparations and Reconciliation Committee (TRRC), the Victims’ Centre, the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) and many other great initiatives in that period.
Thus, many observers believe that the nomination of Mr Tambedou is well deserved and that it will further raise the flag of the country in the area of international justice.
