ICC Registrar completes her visit to Kampala, Uganda

ICC Registrar completes her visit to Kampala, Uganda

ICC-CPI-20080523-PR314

Image From top-left to bottom-right: Registrar meets with Minister of State for Justice and constitutional affairs; Registrar meets with Civil Society groups and NGOs; Registrar interacts with the media; Registrar and Kampala Field Office staff © ICC-CPI

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Today, 23 May 2008 the Registrar of the International Criminal Court, Ms Silvana Arbia, met senior government officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Kampala, Uganda.

During these meetings the Registrar conveyed her appreciation to the Ugandan authorities for the co-operation provided to the Court. She urged the government of Uganda to intensify its efforts in order to ensure its obligations under the Rome Statute and, in particular, to enforce the outstanding arrest warrants against Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo, and Dominic Ongwen, issued by the Court in 2005.

She also emphasised the importance of implementing at a national level the provisions of the Rome Statute by adopting expeditiously the ICC Statute implementing bill and by ratifying the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the Court.

During her meeting with staff, the Registrar acknowledged the important contribution of the Uganda Field Office staff to the work of the Court. She reminded staff that they are the face and voice of the Court in Uganda and urged them to continue carrying out their duties with utmost integrity.

The Registrar met the UN Resident Co-ordinator in Kampala and provided him with an update on the Court’s judicial work emphasising that the ICC is entering a new phase with the commencement of the Thomas Lubanga trial on 23 June 2008. The discussions also touched upon ICC-UN co-operation issues.

The Registrar also met and discussed with representatives of civil society organisations from war affected communities and the media from war affected communities in the Acholi, Teso, Lango and Madi regions about the latest judicial activities at the Court, with particular emphasis on those relevant for the situation of Uganda and the case of The Prosecutor v Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Okot Odhiambo, and Dominic Ongwen. 

For more information, please contact Ms Maria Mabinty Kamara, Field Public Information and Outreach Co-ordinator for Uganda, tel: +256-77-2700655, email: [email protected]