Niamey Hosts Second Meeting Of Justice Ministers of CSS, Discussions Focus on Judicial Reforms and Regional Integration

Niamey on Monday played host to the second meeting of justice ministers from the Confederation of Sahel States (CSS), at the Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Centre. The opening ceremony was presided over by Niger’s Minister of the Interior, Public Security and Territorial Administration, Major General Mohamed Toumba, who is also serving as acting Prime Minister.

This gathering was aimed at monitoring and evaluating the progress of the roadmap adopted during the first meeting held in Bamako, Mali, on May 29–30, 2025. In his inaugural speech, Major General Toumba recalled that significant recommendations had emerged from the Bamako discussions, particularly the creation of a Sahelian Criminal and Human Rights Court (CPS-DH) and the establishment of a high-security prison. These initiatives, he emphasised, are designed to reduce the region’s dependence on international judicial institutions while reinforcing sovereignty.

The Nigerien official also reiterated the collective aspiration of the CSS countries to establish a distinctly African judicial institution, anchored in cooperation and complementarity, to safeguard legal security and foster regional integration.

Representing Burkina Faso, Justice Minister Rodrigue Edasso underlined that the Niamey meeting continues the momentum generated in Ouagadougou and Bamako, and could “mark history” through major decisions driven by the determination of CSS Heads of State and Government.

Mali’s Justice Minister, Mamoudou Kassogue, highlighted the continuity of the Niamey discussions with the Bamako session, which had provided a comprehensive diagnosis and set out perspectives for strengthening legal and judicial cooperation among member states. He stressed that law and justice are central pillars in building the Confederation.

It will be recalled that the Bamako meeting had recommended seizing the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to file complaints against France and Ukraine for their alleged roles in supporting and condoning terrorism. Member states also agreed to launch systematic legal proceedings before national courts against international media outlets France 24, RFI, and TV5 Monde, accusing them of adopting editorial lines that condone terrorism.

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