Remarks of the President of the General Assembly<\/p>\n
H.E Dennis Francis<\/p>\n
GA plenary meeting on the
Report of the International Criminal Court,<\/p>\n
Monday, 30 October 2023<\/p>\n
As Delivered<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Piotr Hofmanski,<\/i><\/i><\/p>\n
Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n
Distinguished Delegates,<\/i><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
Today we gather to consider the annual report of the\u00a0International Criminal Court (ICC) \u2013 a\u00a0 critical pillar of the international legal order.<\/p>\n
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The ICC stands as a perennial symbol of our shared commitment to justice and humanity\u2019s greatest aspirations.<\/p>\n
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It serves as an emphatic reminder that\u00a0no one \u2013 I repeat, no one \u2013 should be exempt from accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community,\u00a0and that regardless of their status, position or location, perpetrators of such crimes will invariably face the weight of justice.<\/p>\n
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Indeed, when it comes to the most egregious crimes against humanity,\u00a0 accountability knows no exceptions and justifiably so.<\/p>\n
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In those grave and heinous cases \u2013 when national legal systems prove unable or unwilling to bring perpetrators to justice \u2013 the ICC must step in.<\/p>\n
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Accordingly, the ICC stands as a testament to our unshakeable resolve to end impunity, and moreover, to deter others from the commission of such crimes in the future.<\/p>\n
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The Court is indeed a truly unique embodiment of our collective resolution to upholding the principles of justice and accountability.<\/p>\n
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I express my\u00a0 fulsome appreciation to the Court for its diligent efforts,\u00a0 as indeed to its judges and its prosecutor, as well as to the dedicated staff who have laudibly committed themselves to the pursuit of justice \u2013 and indeed, to what is\u00a0right<\/i>.<\/p>\n
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The report highlights both the progress and the challenges faced by the ICC this year, specifically as regards the prevention and punishment of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.<\/p>\n
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These principles are fundamental to our global vision of peace and are integral to our mission of maintaining international peace and security, promoting respect for human rights, and delivering justice to those who have suffered the gravest injustices.<\/p>\n
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Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/i><\/p>\n
We must acknowledge that the Court operates in a multifaceted international landscape.<\/p>\n
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Its jurisdiction spans cases where state parties have brought situations to the attention of the Court, including situations referred by the United Nations Security Council.<\/p>\n
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While it may present a unique set of challenges \u2013this duality in referral mechanisms underscores the importance of international cooperation.<\/p>\n
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Despite these challenges, the hope for universal ratification of the Rome Statute, and the Kampala amendments, serve as a profound affirmation of the ICC’s enduring commitment to justice.<\/p>\n
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As more countries join and support the ICC, the bold ambition of ending impunity for the most serious crimes becomes increasingly realistic to achieve.<\/p>\n
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As we engage in this discussion, let us remember the voices of the victims, whose suffering must compel us to take meaningful action.<\/p>\n
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I underscore the\u00a0need for universal cooperation with the court among Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Member States in our common pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.<\/p>\n
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I call upon States to support the ICC where it faces constraints in its pursuit of justice, including predictable funding to effectively undertake its investigations and prosecutions.<\/p>\n
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In line with the fundamental principle of complementarity, States should cooperate\u00a0with the ICC and with each other in investigations and prosecutions, including by sharing information and evidence to uphold the rule of law and ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes.<\/p>\n
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Let us remain committed to strengthening the international legal framework and ensuring that the ICC continues to fulfill its essential role in our global efforts to prevent impunity and injustice and to promote lasting peace.<\/p>\n
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I thank you and look forward to a fruitful discussion on this important matter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Remarks of the President of the General Assembly H.E Dennis Francis GA plenary meeting on theReport of the International Criminal Court, Monday, 30 October 2023 As Delivered President of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-273285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n