Regional seminar on the ICC starts in Yaoundé (Cameroon)

Judge Fatoumata Dembele Diarra, Vice-President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and Professor Maurice Kamto, Minister Delegate of the Ministry of Justice of Cameroon, opened today in Yaoundé (Cameroon) a regional seminar on the International Criminal Court. Representatives from Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice, Bar Associations and civil societies from eight francophone countries in central Africa are participating in the seminar, which will last until 8 October.

After thanking the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice of Cameroon for their support in organising the event, Judge Diarra, the ICC Vice-President, highlighted in her opening speech that the ICC and the national tribunals have a common aim, which is the triumph of justice and the fight against impunity. Judge Diarra explained that the purpose of the seminar is to jointly build a future where crimes will no longer remain unpunished, and where the dissuasive force of sentences will put an end to war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression.

During the five-day seminar, participants from Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and Rwanda will exchange views with senior representatives of the Court and international experts on the theme of the ICC and national tribunals, and the stakes and perspectives of international criminal justice. Several workshops will offer opportunities to discuss issues such as the ICC’s role on the international criminal justice scene, its mandate and structure, rules governing its jurisdiction and rights of parties and participants to the proceedings before the ICC.

The International Criminal Court is the only permanent international court with the mission of helping to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, and thus to contribute to the prevention of such crimes.

For further information, please contact Sonia Robla, Head of the Public Information and Documentation Section on +31 (0)70 515-8089 or on +31 (0) 6 46 44 87 26 or at [email protected].

To make contact within Cameroon, please contact Caroline Maurel between 4 and 8 October on +31 (0)6 46 44 87 26 or at [email protected].

The ICC’s activities can also be followed through YouTube and Twitter.