Conf. of chief justices of African constitutional courts starts in Cairo

A conference of chief justices of high constitutional courts in Africa kicked off in Cairo Monday. 

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Speaker of the House of Representatives Aly Abdel Aal are taking part in the event. 
The conference, the first, will review challenges facing the judicial authority in Africa in the current stage, said Hazem Fahmy, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Partnership Agency for Development (EPAD). 

Participants will also probe the role law plays in African countries, he added. 

Adel Sherif, the secretary general of the conference, said the event will focus on fighting corruption and terrorism, as well as protecting women and children.

The conference will also tackle human rights standards, Sherif added. 
The conference is meant to achieve justice and equality through the judicial authority, said Chief Justice of the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) of Egypt Abdel Wahab Abdel Razeq.

It will be a chance to exchange expertise with the aim to boost judicial cooperation among African countries, Abdel Razeq added. 
Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said the SCC has entrenched personal rights as part of protecting human rights. 

The SCC has also set the stage for democracy in nascent countries, Ismail said in his speech.

He conveyed President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's best regards to all the participants and welcomed them in their second country, Egypt. 
High constitutional courts play an important role in establishing constitutional values in democratic systems, said Egyptian House speaker Aly Abdel Aal. 

He added that constitutional courts guarantee the legal system is applied and rights are observed. 

Hopefully, the conference would achieve its goals, Abdel Aal noted.

Source: MENA