ICC-Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, participated in the 53rd Munich Security Conference: “Rome Statute crimes undermine security & stability”
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court ("ICC"), Mrs Fatou Bensouda, participated in the 53rd edition of the Munich Security Conference ("MSC") held in Munich, Germany from the 17th to the 19th of February. The MSC, chaired by H.E. Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, assembles leaders from around the world to debate the state of international security and related challenges. The MSC, the largest independent high-level forum of its kind, is attended by Heads of States, governments and international organisations; ministers; high-ranking members of the armed forces as well as representatives of business, science, civil society and the media.
The Prosecutor's participation once again highlights the important role international criminal justice plays in international security and in supporting efforts aimed at conflict prevention. "Rome Statute crimes undermine security and stability, whether nationally or regionally. In certain instances, such destabilising crimes may even pose a threat to global security" stated Prosecutor Bensouda. "The MSC provides an important forum for high-level engagement on the interplay between accountability for atrocity crimes and peace and security", the Prosecutor added.
In the margins of this year's Conference, Prosecutor Bensouda held a number of productive bilateral meetings with senior officials from States, intergovernmental organizations and civil society to advance the work of her Office and further mainstream the mandate of the ICC. The Prosecutor met, inter alia, with H.E. Mr. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan; H.E. Mr. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia; H.E. Mr. Haider al-Abadi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq; H.E. Dr. Ziad Abu-Amr, Deputy Prime Minister of Palestine; H.E. Mr. Teodor-Viorel Melescanu, Foreign Minister of Romania; H.E. Mr. Linas Antanas Linkevičius, Foreign Minister of Lithuania; H.E. Mr António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations ("UN"); H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States; H.E. Mr. Zeid bin Ra'ad Zeid al- Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and H.E. Mr. Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya.
The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts independent and impartial preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecution of the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Office has been conducting investigations in: Uganda; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Darfur, Sudan; the Central African Republic (two separate investigations); Kenya; Libya; Côte d'Ivoire, Mali and Georgia. The Office is also conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Afghanistan; Burundi; the registered vessels of Comoros, Greece and Cambodia; Colombia; Gabon; Guinea; Iraq/UK; Palestine, Nigeria and Ukraine.