The Registrar of the International Criminal Court visited Bangui, Central African Republic
The Registrar of the International Criminal Court ("ICC" or "the Court") Peter Lewis was on an official visit to the Central African Republic (CAR) from 18 to 21 September 2018 to meet with the President of the Central African Republic (CAR) H.E. Faustin-Archange Touadéra as well as with high-level representatives from the government, the diplomatic community, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the CAR (MINUSCA), the Special Criminal Court (SCC), the media, civil society, and students. This was the Registrar's first visit in an ICC situation country since his election in March 2018.
During this meeting, the Central African President reiterated the State's "zero impunity" approach and the fundamental need to ensure fair justice in order to build lasting peace in the country. The Registrar of the Court thanked him for the Central African government's sustained support for the ICC.
On 19 September, the Registrar also met with the Prime Minister H.E. Matthieu Simplice Sarandji, the Minister of Francophonie and State Protocol H.E. Charles Sekode and the Chef de Cabinet to the Ministry of Justice Mr Stephan Goana. During his meeting with the Administrative Committee of the Special Criminal Court on 21 September, the ICC Registrar emphasized the need for dialogue and commitment between these two institutions, in accordance with their respective mandates.
A joint press conference was held with the Central African media on 20 September with the Registrar, Mama Koité Doumbia, the representative of African states on the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV), and the TFV Director Pieter De Baan, to emphasize particularly the importance of victims within the Rome Statute and the launch of a TFV assistance programme for victims in CAR.
Meeting with the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Kenneth Gluck, and the Chief of Staff of the Special Representative, Vivien Van de Perre at the MINUSCA headquarters in Bangui, the Registrar insisted on the strong bond between peace and justice for victims of grave crimes.
The Registrar and the TFV took advantage of the mission to organize a panel discussion with students of the University of Bangui, participants of an ICC trial competition in CAR, and now "Ambassadors of the Rome Statute in CAR". The Registrar spoke to the young people in these terms: "Not only are you the future of the ICC here at home, but also around the world". On this occasion, the participants of the trial competition solemnly received certificates of participation to the competition from the Registrar and Mama Koite Doumbia.
Finally, the Registrar and the TFV participated to
commemorations of the 20th anniversary of the Rome Statute organized by the ICC office in Bangui, with the participation of 200 stakeholders, on the theme "I want the world to know", featuring speeches and videos of high-level speakers, poetry, music, dance, theater, symbolic acts and the opening of a photographic exhibition, highlighting the role of victims in the Rome Statute.
For further information, please contact Gervais Bodagay, by telephone at (+236) 72303434/75523818 or by e-mail at: [email protected].