A new Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) was elected on December six, for a three-year mandate (2021 – 2024) at the opening of the 20th session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The newly elected members of the Board of Directors represent each of five regional groups: Sheikh Mohammed Belal (Bangladesh), representing Asia-Pacific group, Minou Josefina Tavárez Mirabal (Dominican Republic), representing Latin American and Caribbean States Parties, Andres Parmas (Estonia), representing Eastern European States Parties, Kevin Kelly (Ireland), representing Western European and Other Group States, and Ibrahim Sorie Yillah (Sierra Leone), representing African States Parties.
The new Board held its first meeting on 7 December 2021 and unanimously elected Minou Josefina Tavárez Mirabal as the new Chair of the Board of Directors. For the first time, the Board also appointed a Vice-Chair, Ibrahim Yillah.
The new Board Chair, Ms Tavárez Mirabal said, “It is a great honour and privilege for the new members of the TFV Board of Directors to serve the victims of crimes defined in the Rome Statute. We thank the States Parties for the trust they placed upon us. We are mindful of the challenges as well as the opportunities that may arise but we are confident that these will strengthen the impact of the Trust Fund for Victims and the Rome Statute system. I thank my colleagues for entrusting me with this responsibility to lead the Board. Together with my fellow Board members and the TFV Secretariat, we will continue the works that were started by the previous Board of Directors and chaired by the late and always missed Felipe Michelini and by Mama Koité Doumbia. The new Board will work tirelessly to expand the TFV’s reach and to increase reparations and assistance programmes, enhance partnerships, raise awareness on the rights of victims and survivors of atrocity crimes, and ensure transparency as well as accountability to the States Parties, to the donors of the TFV, and most importantly, to the victims and survivors of crimes whom we serve.”
The Vice Chair, Mr Yillah said: “Advancing the voice of victims is at the heart of the Rome Statute System. I am delighted to be elected to the Board of the Trust Fund for Victims to fulfil this core mandate of the Rome Statute. I am humbled to contribute to this noble cause.”
On behalf of the TFV Secretariat, TFV Executive Director, Pieter de Baan said, “I congratulate Ms Tavárez Mirabal, Mr Belal, and Mr Parmas on their re-election as Board members, and I am honoured to welcome new members Mr Kelly and Mr Yillah who will bring to the TFV their extensive background in a wide range of fields including international criminal law, development, visibility and governance. The TFV is only stronger by the diversity and experience of its Board members and the new members’ experiences will undoubtedly be a tremendous asset to the TFV. We look forward to continuing our engagement with the new Board to strengthen the TFV’s works and to achieve our goals together.”
The biographies of the new Board of Directors of the TFV are available on the TFV Website.
TFV Board of Directors (2021 – 2024):
– Minou Tavárez Mirabal (Dominican Republic) representing Latin American and Caribbean States – Chair;
– Ibrahim Yillah (Sierra Leone) representing African States – Vice Chair;
– Sheikh Mohammed Belal (Bangladesh) representing Asia – Pacific States;
– Andres Parmas (Estonia) representing Eastern European States;
– Kevin Kelly (Ireland) representing Western European and Other States.
TFV Secretariat:
– Pieter de Baan, Executive Director
