The Mauritanian government delegation reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, emphasizing regional cooperation in addressing the continent’s challenges. Its representative identified armed conflict, terrorism, organized crime, migration, climate change and economic pressure as interrelated challenges affecting states’ ability to fulfil their human rights obligations.

The delegation presented the National Strategy for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights for 2024–2028 as a framework for policies on social protection and human dignity. It stated that Mauritania had received 271 recommendations in its fourth Universal Periodic Review cycle and accepted 229 of them, and referred to a September 2025 visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. It stressed economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development, particularly in the context of constrained financing and debt pressures.

The intervention underscores the need to track implementation of international recommendations and measure the effects of national strategies on living conditions and legal protection.

The Libyan delegation emphasized the importance of the African Charter and international human rights treaties within its domestic legal system. According to the government’s presentation, ratified treaties are binding and occupy a legal position allowing reliance on them for the protection of rights. The delegation discussed preparations for periodic reports under Article 62 of the African Charter and cooperation with regional human rights mechanisms.

The significance of this intervention lies in the state’s duty to submit information to the African Commission, enabling assessment of legislation, measures and practices implementing the Charter. This government statement must be distinguished from any independent intervention by a national human rights institution.

The Kingdom of Eswatini’s intervention focused on economic and social rights, particularly clean water and sanitation. The government representative stated that access to safe drinking water in rural areas had reached 90%, following public infrastructure and service expansion projects. She also described a social protection programme administered through the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office covering 59 areas, with an emphasis on vulnerable households and groups.

The intervention addressed the national plan for persons with disabilities for 2020–2025, including employment, social protection and resource allocation. In education, it reported expanded digital learning and computers and equipment provided to 23 schools, alongside school feeding programmes. It also reviewed efforts to improve healthcare, reduce malaria infections and shorten hospital waiting times.

These figures call for verification of actual service coverage, quality and equitable access across areas and groups.

The Lesotho representative highlighted regional cooperation on water resource management and water security. She welcomed continental priorities on water under Agenda 2063 and cited projects designed to supply water to more than 300,000 people. She discussed water transfers and regional interconnection, as well as the use of natural resources to develop renewable energy. The intervention emphasized investment in clean energy, job creation and reducing the effects of climate change.

This approach demonstrates the close relationship between environmental and economic policies and fundamental rights, particularly water, health and an adequate standard of living.

The representative of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic focused on self-determination, sovereignty over natural resources and the fundamental principles governing relations among African states. The speaker alleged human rights violations and restrictions on freedoms in areas under Moroccan control and called for the release of Sahrawi political prisoners, referring to opinions of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. He urged the African Commission to dispatch an independent fact-finding mission and addressed the exploitation of the territory’s natural resources in relation to the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination.

These allegations and requests are attributed to the speaking delegation; they do not mean that the African Commission adopted them in a decision at this session.

The Mozambican delegation affirmed continued cooperation with the African Commission and expressed willingness to host a future session. It described counterterrorism efforts and stressed that relevant authorities must comply with human rights standards during security operations. It referred to a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the context of climate change and challenges facing environmentally affected communities. The delegation stated that Mozambique had accepted 248 recommendations and observations from international mechanisms and was working to align domestic law and policy with them.

This intervention highlights the importance of reconciling security requirements with civilian protection and legal safeguards, especially in conflict-affected areas.

The Cameroonian delegation reviewed initiatives to protect women and children, including a national campaign launched in June 2026 to strengthen protection against violence and abuse. Reported measures included temporary shelters, psychological support services, improvements to complaints mechanisms, and dedicated child-friendly spaces at some police and gendarmerie facilities. It also discussed healthcare development and access to drinking water, and stressed cooperation between public institutions and civil society under the African Charter.

The assessment of these measures depends on accessibility, sustainable funding and their actual ability to protect survivors.

The Botswana government intervention discussed indigenous peoples and historic obstacles to the recognition of their rights. The representative described a change in government policy priorities following the transfer of power in 2024, including greater recognition of indigenous rights. He referred to legislative and administrative measures, including burial rights on traditional land and in protected areas, and a five-year strategic plan adopted in November 2025, as well as an institutional mechanism to monitor living conditions. The delegation acknowledged persistent economic marginalization and inadequate water and service access in remote areas, calling for international support.

The intervention underscores that legal recognition of collective rights must translate into actual access to resources, services and opportunities for participation.

Senegal’s national human rights commission described efforts to strengthen its institutional role. It reported submitting its annual report for 2024 and 2025 to the President at the end of July 2026, for the first time in 25 years according to the intervention. It also mentioned establishing a national human rights award to encourage civic efforts to promote a rights culture.

At the same time, it pointed to detention conditions, protection of women and children, public freedoms and increasing hate speech. It called for stronger institutional independence, protection of journalists and human rights defenders, an end to impunity, better prison conditions and improved follow-up to African Commission recommendations.

Cabo Verde’s National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship focused on constraints facing national institutions in small island states. Limited funding, high regional participation costs and infrastructural deficiencies were said to undermine sustained involvement. It also addressed poverty, education, physical and mental health, disability rights, migration and protection of vulnerable groups, calling for additional institutional funding, training and climate resilience support.

Chad’s national human rights commission identified the prevention of tensions and conflict among local communities as essential to rights protection. It called for dialogue, community mediation and early warning, judicial independence and access to justice. It also raised prison conditions, healthcare, nutrition and detention standards. The commission welcomed an August 2026 presidential pardon involving the leader of the Transformers party and other political figures, considering that it could help ease political tensions.

South Africa’s Commission for Gender Equality emphasized that access to clean water and sanitation extends beyond infrastructure provision to safety, dignity and nondiscrimination. It highlighted risks faced by women and girls when safe, nearby water sources and sanitation facilities are lacking. It called for women and affected communities to participate in designing, managing and monitoring policy, gender-responsive evaluations, and mainstreaming gender equality in the African Commission’s work.

Burundi’s Independent National Human Rights Commission presented information concerning criminal justice and accountability. It reported sanctions against 58 public officials for misconduct and abuses and the referral of 28 cases involving torture allegations to the courts. It also raised detention beyond completed prison sentences, inadequate specialized care for detainees with mental health conditions, fuel shortages, market fires, unemployment, and the rights of children, refugees and stateless persons. It called for reduced pretrial detention, stronger judicial independence and accountability for violations.

Some detailed detention figures require additional review to clarify their scope and avoid double counting.

The representative of Egypt’s National Council for Human Rights stressed cooperation with the African Commission and national institutions throughout the continent. He described the Council’s complaints intake, referral and follow-up processes; awareness, training and capacity-building programmes; cooperation with national and international institutions; freedom of information, nondiscrimination and legislative reform. He highlighted the Council’s follow-up to the national human rights strategy and engagement with debates on the Criminal Procedure Code, including fair-trial safeguards and alternatives to pretrial detention. The Council affirmed its readiness to engage further with African Commission mechanisms.

The intervention was institutional in character, focusing on programmes, reforms and working methods, without case-specific violation data in the available material.

The Sahrawi national commission reported training, capacity building and cooperation with African and international mechanisms. It expressed concern over civilians and defenders in territories under Moroccan control, according to the speaker’s characterization. It called for the release of Sahrawi political prisoners, access for monitors, journalists and rights organizations, and an independent fact-finding visit. It raised natural-resource exploitation and self-determination.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported abuses allegedly committed during and after public protests in June 2026. It stated that 361 people had suffered violations including unlawful arrest, arbitrary detention, abduction or torture, among them 18 human rights defenders and two journalists. It raised excessive force against protesters and alleged participation by armed plainclothes groups in assault and intimidation. It warned that such conduct could affect public freedoms and the environment preceding the 2027 general election. It stressed that financial compensation does not replace criminal investigation, accountability, truth-seeking and guarantees of non-repetition.

The National Human Rights Commission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo made an exceptional intervention on military and humanitarian developments in the east. It cited continuing conflict in North and South Kivu and attributed military operations and widespread violations to Rwanda and the M23 movement. Its allegations included killings, rape, forced displacement and serious abuses against civilians. Its representative urged the African Commission to act to protect the population and hold perpetrators accountable.

These allegations are attributed to the national institution and require independent documentation before legal responsibility for specific incidents can be determined.