COMESA Court of Justice

06/08/2026

The COMESA Court of Justice (CCJ) and the Ethiopian Federal Advocates Association (EFAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote COMESA law, widen access to justice, and strengthen the skills of legal practitioners across the region. The Registrar of the Court, Honourable Dr. Woubishet Shiferaw, and the President of EFAA, Mr. Tesfaye Deresse, signed the agreement in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The MOU will prompt regional integration where legal commitments are enforced, and the CCJ performs this role across Eastern and Southern Africa. Many practitioners and businesses remain unaware of when and how they can bring a matter before it, and this agreement is set to bridge that gap by reaching out to practitioners, law students, academics, the business community, and the wider public.

The Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia -የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራል ጠቅላይ ፍ/ቤት
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
East Africa Law Society
Law Association of Zambia

01/08/2026

New Bench of COMESA Court of Justice Holds First Administrative Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia -የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራል ጠቅላይ ፍ/ቤት

Read more:
https://comesacourt.org/blog/2026/08/01/new-bench-of-comesa-court-of-justice-holds-first-administrative-meeting-in-addis-ababa-ethiopia/

01/07/2026

The COMESA Court of Justice (CCJ) is participating in the 7th COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) Regional Trade Fair and Business Conference, being held in Tunis, Tunisia, from 1–3 July 2026.

The Hon. Registrar, Woubishet Shiferaw participated as a panellist during the first panel session, which focused on the theme: "Strategic Institutional Synergies for Regional and Continental Trade Integration: Empowering Women and Youth Entrepreneurs."

During the session, the Hon. Registrar highlighted the critical role of the COMESA Court of Justice in promoting legal certainty, strengthening the rule of law, and facilitating regional economic integration through an effective and predictable legal framework.

The Registrar also underscored the importance of institutional collaboration in creating an enabling environment for both women and youth entrepreneurs to participate meaningfully in regional and continental trade.

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
COMESA Business Council
Comesa Competition & Consumer Commission

30/06/2026

Second Day of the 3rd COMESA Institutions Awareness Forum

30/06/2026

29/06/2026

The Hon. Registrar, Dr. Woubishet, has addressed participants attending the COMESA Institutions Awareness Forum taking place from 29 - 30 June 2026 in Tunis, Tunisia on the mandate and jurisdiction of the Court as well as its key activities of the year 2026. During his presentation, the Registrar emphasized Article 26 of the Treaty that allows legal and natural persons to challenge unlawful acts and decisios of Member States. He further higlighted that COMESA Court of Justice has a arbitratral jurisdiction under Article 28 of the COMESA Treaty and Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms provided under the CCJ Rules of Procedure 2025.


Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Comesa Competition & Consumer Commission
COMESA Business Council
Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute - ALLPI

29/06/2026

CCJ is particpating in the 3rd COMESA Institutions Awarness Forum held at Tunis, Tunisa from 29th to 30th June 2026. During the forum, the Hon. Registrar Dr. Woubishet Shiferaw will address the participats about the operations, jurisdiction and key activities of the Court in 2026.


Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
COMESA Business Council
Comesa Competition & Consumer Commission

24/06/2026

24/06/2026

On 23 June 2026, the COMESA Court of Justice (CCJ) and the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote COMESA law, widen access to justice, and strengthen the skills of legal practitioners across the region. The Registrar of the Court, Honourable Dr. Woubishet Shiferaw, and the President of LAZ, Mr. Arnold Kaluba, signed the agreement in Lusaka, Zambia.
The Honourable Registrar commended the initiative taken in fostering a relationship aimed at enhanced dispensation of justice in pursuit of regional integration
The two institutions will conduct Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses accredited by LAZ on COMESA law, the COMESA Treaty, the Court's jurisdiction and procedures, arbitration, mediation, and regional trade law. Additionally, they will hold joint conferences and public lectures, organise moot court competitions for students, support internships and secondments, train practitioners on the COMESA Court Digital Evidence Management System, and promote the Court's arbitration and mediation services as a route for settling disputes.
The President reiterated that the Court plays an important role in ensuring regional integration is anchored in principle and the law. To this end, the partnership brings the work of the CCJ closer to lawyers, students, and businesses, strengthens the rule of law, and makes regional justice more accessible.
Regional integration thrives only where legal commitments are enforced, and the CCJ performs this role across Eastern and Southern Africa. Many practitioners and businesses remain unaware of when and how they can bring a matter before it, and this agreement is set to bridge that gap by reaching out to practitioners, law students, academics, the business community, and the wider public.
Both institutions commit to nurturing the creation of a , giving practitioners across the COMESA region a common professional body through which to engage with COMESA law and the Court..

East Africa Law Society

22/06/2026

COMESA Court of Justice (CCJ) Hears First Matter Since Swearing-In of New Bench
CCJ today sat to hear its first matter this year since the swearing-in of its new bench, marking a historic milestone for the regional judicial body. The case, Reference Number 1 of 2026, involves Middle East Glass Manufacturing Company S.A.E. against the Republic of Kenya, sued through the Attorney General.

The matter was heard before a bench presided over by Judge Muchelule, sitting alongside Judge Lavender Makoni, Judge Mavuso, Judge Samia, and Judge Tewodros.

Proceedings opened with the Court addressing Application Number 1 of 2026, a preliminary objection raised against the Reference. Counsel for the parties made their submissions before the bench, setting the tone for what is expected to be a closely watched test of the Court’s procedures and jurisdiction.

After hearing arguments on the preliminary objection, the Court adjourned the matter without delivering an immediate decision. It announced that its ruling will be handed down on Wednesday, 24 June 2026.

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
Comesa Competition & Consumer Commission
COMESA Business Council
East Africa Law Society
Law Association of Zambia