Togolese magistrate Kuami Gameli Lodonou has been appointed President of the Court of Justice of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
He was elected to the position on February 3, 2026, following an internal electoral assembly, for a three-year term.
He succeeds Senegalese magistrate Mahawa Sémou Diouf, whose mandate came to an end after three years at the head of the Community court.
A senior magistrate born in 1958, Kuami Gameli Lodonou has been a member of the Court since February 2021, following an additional act adopted by the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Union. He has notably served as Advocate General within the institution. Prior to joining the Court, he was Executive Secretary of the National OHADA Commission in Togo, according to the Togolese press.
Kuami Gameli Lodonou is a graduate of the National School for the Judiciary (École nationale de la magistrature) in Paris and holds a Master’s degree in Business Law from the University of Lomé. He has also served in various positions within the Togolese judicial system, including at the Supreme Court.
It should be recalled that the WAEMU Court of Justice is an institution established under the revised Treaty of the Union. It ensures the application and interpretation of Community law across the Union’s eight member states. The Court also arbitrates disputes between member states or between the Union and its staff.
In his new role, Kuami Gameli Lodonou will be tasked with ensuring legal consistency within the WAEMU area, particularly regarding member states’ compliance with their Community obligations. He assumes leadership of the institution at a time when regional economic integration faces political and economic challenges, in a context where the strength of the Community framework remains crucial in addressing regional issues.