ICC President concludes official visit to Canada

On 3 and 4 November 2026, the President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Tomoko Akane, conducted an official visit to Canada with the purpose of further strengthening the close relations between Canada and the Court, and of engaging with Canadian legal professionals, academia and civil society on the defence of international justice.

During the visit, President Akane recalled Canada’s longstanding cooperation with, and support to the Court. President Akane highlighted Canada’s contribution to the establishment of the Court, recalling in particular Judge Philippe Kirsch’s leading role in the negotiation of the Rome Statute and as the first President of the Court. President Akane further noted Canada’s pioneering role as the first State Party to implement the Rome Statute into its domestic legislation.  

In Ottawa, on 3 November, President Akane, accompanied by ICC Judge Kimberly Prost, met Mr Arun Thangaraj, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr Sean Fraser, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Canada, as well as Marie-Josée Hogue, Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada. The discussions focused on Canada’s cooperation with the Court, specifically on Canada’s support for the Court in the face of coercive measures against the Court and its officials.

President Akane and Judge Prost were also received by the Rt Hon. Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of Canada and the other judges of the Supreme Court of Canada, for an exchange on judicial independence and the dialogue between national and international courts. 

In Québec City, on 4 November, President Akane was welcomed at City Hall by Mayor Bruno Marchand of Québec City. She then took part in a strategic dialogue with Canadian experts from the legal professions, academia and civil society on how best to support the Court.

The visit culminated in the President’s keynote address, “Justice and Power: Why and How Should We Defend the International Criminal Court?”, at a conference at the Université Laval’s Faculty of Law. In her address, President Akane said: “Justice and power will always meet. Our task is to make sure that, when they do, it is the power of law that prevails.”

For more information, please contact the ICC Public Affairs Unit: [email protected]. You can also follow the Court’s activities on X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Flickr