On the picture ICC First Vice-President Judge Joyce Aluoch, President of the United Republic of Tanzania H.E. Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete and ICC President Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi at ICC Headquarters in The Hague on 8 June 2015. ©ICC-CPI
Today, 8 June 2015, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, visited the International Criminal Court (ICC), to meet with the ICC President, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, and other high-level officials of the Court.
President Fernández thanked President Kikwete for his strong personal support of the International Criminal Court and the active and constructive role that Tanzania has played from early on in the Court’s development. She also recognised the many contributions that Tanzania has made to international justice more broadly, including by hosting the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“Cooperation and support of Africa is of great importance to the Court”, President Fernández said. “To this end, we must seek new ways to increase dialogue and mutual understanding, and Tanzania plays a very important role in that respect.”
President Kikwete emphasised the importance of the ICC in the global fight against impunity. “Our support for the ICC is based on the important work that the Court is doing”, he said.
President Kikwete’s visit to the ICC highlights Tanzania’s support to the ICC and the joint efforts deployed in the fight against the impunity of the perpetrators of the most serious crimes that affect the international community as a whole.