UFS LAW DEAN APPOINTED TO UN EXPERT MECHANISM ON THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT

Prof Serges Kamga

By: Neo Ntsele

Prof Serges Kamga, Dean of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Faculty of Law, has been appointed to the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development by the United Nations Human Rights Council.

This appointment underscores his personal commitment to justice and the UFS’s expanding international presence.

The Expert Mechanism acts as an advisory body that promotes the right to development globally.

It strives to ensure that development processes are equitable, inclusive, and rooted in human rights, enabling individuals and communities to meaningfully participate and benefit from progress.

In Africa, where legal recognition often surpasses implementation, this body provides a vital platform to influence global development policies.

For Prof Kamga, this appointment is more than recognition; it is an opportunity to bring his beliefs about justice and the rule of law to the global stage.

“This is significant for me because the concept of the right to development calls for global justice and relies on the rule of law to address poverty. I strongly believe that the rule of law should combat poverty and empower everyone to lead fulfilling lives,” he explains.

Prof Kamga’s role at the United Nations (UN) will involve research, thematic studies, and international collaboration aimed at enhancing the legal recognition and implementation of the right to development.

He added, “Professionally, it is rewarding to be active at the global level, where I will represent African states and the UFS. My exposure to and engagement with global discourse will inform my teaching, research, and engaged scholarship in the academic space, allowing me to remain locally relevant.”

The role presents both opportunities and challenges.

Although the right to development is enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, corruption, nepotism, and weak constitutionalism often impede its implementation. International policies can also restrict African countries from fully realising this right.

Prof Kamga views these challenges as a call to enhance cooperation, participation, and the adoption of the Covenant on the Right to Development.

“This appointment is a tremendous opportunity for the visibility and international standing of the UFS, which becomes a hub for research in global policies and thriving lives,” he says.

It also opens avenues for collaboration with experts he interacts with at the UN, potentially integrating into the university’s teaching and research ecosystem.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Hester C. Klopper described the appointment as a testament to Prof Kamga’s scholarship and the university’s mission.

“We are proud to see Prof Kamga assume this important role within the United Nations system. His appointment reflects his scholarly contributions and reinforces the University of the Free State’s commitment to advancing knowledge that promotes justice, inclusion, and sustainable futures,” said Prof Klopper.