Norway Contributes over €500,000 to the Trust Fund for Victims earmarked to the reparations programme in the Al Mahdi case

On 12 December 2018, the Trust Fund for Victims received a contribution of NOK 5 million (equivalent to over €516,000) from the Embassy of Norway in Mali, earmarked to support reparations programme in the Al Mahdi case.  

"In order to reach durable peace and reconciliation, justice must be restored for the victims of war crimes. Through this contribution, Norway hopes to remedy some of the economic and moral harm that Timbuktu residents and its community have suffered as victims of these serious war crimes." - Ole A. Lindeman, Ambassador of Norway in Mali

"This earmarked contribution is crucial to ensure that victims in the Al Mahdi case can receive the individual and collective reparations programme awarded to them for the harm they have suffered. I am grateful to the government of Norway for this important support to the Trust Fund for Victims. We encourage other States Parties to join in making the Rome Statute's promise of reparations to victims a reality by making a voluntary contribution to the TFV." - TFV Board member, Mama Koité Doumbia

The government of Norway has contributed over €1.6 million to the Trust Fund for Victims since 2004. 

On 27 September 2016, the International Criminal Court (ICC) unanimously found Mr Al Mahdi guilty beyond reasonable doubt as a co-perpetrator of the war crime consisting in intentionally directing attacks against ten religious and historic buildings in Timbuktu, Mali, in June and July 2012.

On 17 August 2017, the ICC Trial Chamber issued its Order for Reparations, ordering individual and collective reparations for the community of Timbuktu, and symbolic reparations for the Malian State and the international community, represented by UNESCO. The ICC Trial Chamber also set Mr Al Mahdi's liability at €2.7 million.

In May 2018, the TFV Board of Directors decided to complement €800,000 from the TFV reparations reserve  to the Al Mahdi's reparations awards. The government of the United Kingdom has also contributed to this reparations programme with the total amount of £25,000. With the earmarked contribution from Norway, this brings the total complement to approximately €1.35 million.

The mission of the TFV is to respond  to  the  harm  resulting  from  the crimes  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  ICC  by  ensuring  the  rights  of  victims  and  their families  through  the  provision  of  reparation and assistance programmes for them to return to  a  dignified  and  contributory  life  within their communities.

For more information, please contact: [email protected] or visit: www.trustfundforvictims.org