Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves is a judge of Cape Verdean nationality with a career spanning over two decades in the service of justice. He currently serves as President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, based in Abuja, where he leads both the administrative and judicial functions of the institution. Prior to this, he was the National Director of the Judicial Police of Cape Verde and presided over the Judicial Court of the Praia District.

He holds a law degree from the University of Coimbra and a Master’s degree in Governance and Administration from ISCJS. He also completed the 18th Judicial Magistrates’ Training Course at the Centre for Judicial Studies in Portugal. Throughout his career, he has distinguished himself through his work on complex judicial cases, his university teaching in Civil Procedural Law, and his active participation in regional and international forums on justice, human rights, and judicial reform.