On the picture Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü  OPCW Director-General and  Mr Laurent Fabius, French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development. Director-General Visits France, Receives Légion d’Honneur The OPCW Director-General Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü paid an official visit to France where  he had meetings with Mr Louis Gauthier, Secretary General for Defense and National Security; Mr Philippe Errera, Director General of International Relations and Strategy, Ministry of Defence; Mr Nicolas de Rivière, Director General for Political and Security Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ms Hélène Duchêne, Director of Strategic Affairs, Security and Disarmament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Director-General also received a briefing on the SECOIA project, an initiative of the French Ministry of Defense. The objective of SECOIA is to establish a modern facility for the destruction and disposal of old chemical weapons from World War I. The SECOIA facility is expected to become operational in 2016. He also visited the Centre d’Etudes du Bouchet, which hosts the French OPCW designated laboratory. Today, at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Director-General was conferred the Légion d’Honneur, the highest decoration awarded by the French government. Ambassador Üzümcü received the Légion d’Honneur in recognition of his services as OPCW Director-General and achievements over a long diplomatic career. The ceremony was attended by high-level French and Turkish officials, and members of the Üzümcü family. The award was given to the Director-General by Mr Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development. “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition by the French government, a long-standing partner in global chemical disarmament efforts,” said Director-General Üzümcü. “I share this recognition with the many colleagues who have worked with me to establish a more peaceful and secure world.”  

Mrs Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Statement to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Darfur, Sudan, pursuant to UNSCR 1593 (2005).  New York, 15 December 2015.- Each time I appear before the United Nations Security Council to brief its Members on judicial developments at the International Criminal Court (“Court” or the “ICC”) and to update you on the activities of my Office with respect to the Situation in Darfur, I wish I could declare that at last the victims of the protracted and incessant conflict in Darfur will soon see justice, and that persons alleged to be responsible for Rome Statute crimes in Darfur will soon be held accountable before the Court. Unfortunately, the reality is that the individuals against whom ICC arrest warrants have been issued continue to remain at large. Ten years have elapsed since this Council concluded that the Situation in Darfur, Sudan, constituted a threat to international peace and security. It was on this basis that the Council decided to refer the Darfur situation to the Office of the Prosecutor of the Court so that those alleged to be responsible for Rome Statute crimes may be investigated and prosecuted. As recently as 29 June 2015, in its Resolution 2228, this Council reiterated yet again, as it has done in many of its previous Resolutions, that “the situation in Sudan constitutes a threat to international peace and security.” Starting with UNSCR 1593, each of the resolutions adopted by this Council represented hope for the victims of grave crimes allegedly committed in Darfur that they will not be forgotten; that those responsible for their suffering will be held accountable, and that peace and tranquillity will return to their lives, families and communities.   I observe with great regret that the adoption of each Resolution has, in practical terms, amounted to no more than an empty promise.  Year after year, victims’ hopes and aspirations for justice and a durable peace have been dashed. Instead, the people of Darfur have continued to endure desolation, alleged gross violations of human rights; indiscriminate killings; mass rape and sexual abuse, while the individuals against whom ICC arrest warrants have been issued, and who may be implicated in these crimes, continue to evade justice.  Countless victims have been demoralised. After all, who can blame them when attaining justice appears so remote; not the least because of the absence of adequate follow-up and support from the Council.  Their frustration and resignation in the face of inaction must weigh heavily on our collective conscience. My Office’s numerous Reports to this Council over the years must offer little, if any, solace to victims of atrocity crimes in Darfur. Despite my repeated requests for the Council to take action with respect to Sudan’s blatant disregard of its obligations, and in violation of this Council’s Resolutions, my appeals continue to be unheeded. As my Office’s reports have indicated, Mr Al Bashir is not only a fugitive from justice who continues to travel across international borders, but he also harbours other fugitives and refuses to facilitate their surrender and transfer to the ICC to be tried. My Office, and indeed the Court as a whole, do not have powers of arrest. Those powers rest with States. In the case of Sudan, this Council which referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC has important responsibilities to ensure that States uphold their obligations. I can only reiterate my appeals to this Council to take appropriate measures within its powers to ensure that all Darfur situation fugitives are apprehended and brought to justice for the sake of the victims. Today, my message to the victims in Darfur is clear and unequivocal: we shall not stop our work and we shall not despair. My Office remains firmly committed to its legal mandate with respect to Darfur, Sudan.  We will also continue our principled approach and will repeatedly call upon this Council to more robustly support our work. Victims of atrocity crimes in Darfur should rest assured that the cases against the Sudan suspects are far from over. Contrary to the misinformed belief that investigations in Darfur have been closed, a team of committed lawyers and investigators from my Office is continuing with its work of interviewing witnesses, collecting documentary evidence and seeking information from relevant sources. My team is also continuously reviewing the evidence and following leads. In short, notwithstanding the challenges present, we are doing everything we can within our mandate and means.  Our resolve to fully meet our mandate vis-à-vis Darfur remains unshaken. Let me be clear, the arrest warrants against all Sudanese fugitives remain in full force and effect, and my Office will continue its efforts to do everything feasible within its powers to press for their arrest and surrender. The victims of Darfur will no longer find solace in our words.  They deserve tangible justice, and they deserve to see justice is being done. What is required is concrete and joint action by this Council, the States and the Court to achieve real progress.  Without arrest and surrender, this Council will not be able to deliver on the promise to hold accountable those alleged to be responsible for committing Rome Statute crimes in Darfur, neither will it be able to facilitate sustainable peace and security in Sudan. Whether it be in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda or Sierra Leone, this Council has repeatedly demonstrated that where there has been widespread commission of atrocity crimes against thousands of victims, peace and reconciliation cannot be fully achieved unless and until those responsible for the crimes are held accountable. The same rationale applies to Darfur. The criminal justice process that commenced with the Court’s issuance of arrest warrants against Mr Al Bashir and other suspects in the situation must be adequately supported. I must also emphasise that my Office’s ability to effectively and fully discharge the mandate this Council entrusted to it is hampered by lack of resources.  The level of investigative activities in Darfur is necessarily a function of capacity and resource constraints. I have stressed similar concerns in various other contexts, including in my last briefing before the Council last month. I take this opportunity to once again recall the provisions of article 115(b) of the Rome Statute in accordance with which funds of the Court may be provided by the United Nations, in particular in relation to the expenses incurred due to referrals by the Council.  The situation in Darfur is one such referral, and it is incumbent upon this Council to help support and devise innovative ways of providing the much needed resources for my Office’s investigative activities. Victims of Darfur have been let down for far too long. If I may be so bold, this Council must do more to demonstrate its commitment to Darfur, Sudan. It must confidently play its part in facilitating the arrest of suspects against whom the Court has issued warrants of arrest.  It must act concretely on the Court’s non-compliance communications.  In this regard, I thank the Council Members who are tirelessly working to ensure that communications from the Court receive the attention they deserve by the Council.  Ultimately, this august body must recognise its crucial role vis-à-vis those states, including Sudan, that have been found to be in non-compliance by the Court, and to fully assume its responsibilities to advance the objectives of the Rome Statute. I conclude my remarks this morning by making the following observation: the interplay between the Court and the Council is entrenched in the founding treaty of the ICC, and hence, is here to stay. It is reasonable to expect that with time and increased inter-institutional interaction, the burgeoning relations between these two important institutions will develop further and evolve.  I encourage regular exchanges with the Council, independent of the situation related periodic briefings, so that we may jointly brainstorm and address inter-institutional matters regarding how to strengthen the support and working methods of the Council in relation to the ICC, building on a similar and most helpful initiative organised in October of last year under the Presidency of Argentina.  More opportunities for dialogue and exchange of views between the Court and the Council will be conducive to generating ideas and practical solutions, enabling the Council to more effectively respond to ICC related matters.  Ending impunity for the world’s most destabilising and gravest crimes is not the prerogative of one single institution. It is a collective responsibility with humanity as a whole as its beneficiary. This Council’s tangible, consistent and principled support for the Court will be an important factor for not only the maintenance of international peace and security but also the cause of international criminal justice in this new century. Indeed, the former is in many ways contingent on the latter. As detailed in my report, terrible crimes allegedly continue to be perpetrated in Darfur.  Only strong and committed action by the Council and States will stop the commission of grave crimes in Darfur and ensure that the perpetrators of past crimes are held accountable. History will surely stand witness to the tenacity of our will and ability to deliver on our respective obligations.    

The Republic of Cyprus Signs ICMP Treaty The Hague, 14 December 2015: The Republic of Cyprus today became the eighth country to sign the Agreement on the Status and Functions of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP). In December 2014 the Agreement was signed by the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg; last month it was signed by El Salvador, and this morning it was signed by Chile and then Cyprus. The Agreement recognizes ICMP as an international organization tasked with assisting countries in their efforts to address missing persons cases from conflict, human rights abuses, disasters, organized crime, migration and other causes. It does not create new international obligations for signatory States, financial or otherwise. ICMP remains a voluntarily funded organization. A total of 493 Turkish Cypriots and 1,508 Greek Cypriots have been reported as missing by both communities as a result of events in the 1960s and in 1974. ICMP has worked with the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP) since July 2012, when it began providing assistance in making DNA-based identifications.  Following the signing of the Agreement, ICMP hopes to explore options to enhance it support. During the ceremony, Ambassador Elpidoforos Economou of the Republic of Cyprus stressed that Cyprus’s “painful national experiences have helped us appreciate the importance of enhancing international cooperation and exchanging best practices for the cause of missing persons globally. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has therefore decided to sign the Agreement. ICMP can count on Cyprus’s support in the global effort to promote justice and to alleviate the suffering of the missing persons and their families.” 

ICMP Director-General Kathryne Bomberger said this morning’s accession to the Agreement would make it easier for ICMP to work with stakeholders in Cyprus, and she added that “I look forward to working with Cyprus to explore options to enhance its efforts to account for missing person and to secure the rights of families of the missing to truth and justice.” ICMP was created at the G-7 Summit in Lyon, France in 1996. It is the only international organization exclusively dedicated to helping governments and others account for those who go missing as a result of conflict, crime, migration, human rights violations and natural disasters. To date, ICMP has generated DNA profiles from 1,632 bone samples submitted for testing. A total of 1,533 DNA match and re-association reports, representing 341 missing persons, have been submitted to the CMP.  For more information about ICMP’s work with the CMP in Cyprus please visit http://bit.ly/1luoQqL  

The ICC’s new, permanent premises are located at Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, 2597 AK, The Hague, the Netherlands © Simon Bosch Photography. The ICC has moved to its permanent premises Today, 14 December 2015, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has finalised its move into its new, permanent premises, located at Oude Waalsdorperweg 10, 2597 AK, The Hague, the Netherlands. The ICC required a functional purpose-built premises to effectively fulfil its mandate in the fight against impunity for perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. ”As a permanent institution, the ICC now has a permanent home. It offers essential features for the court to work more efficiently, provide protection for witnesses and victims, and ensure fair and transparent proceedings. As such, the new, purpose-built premises will greatly assist us in our mandate of providing justice to victims and helping to establish accountability for – and thus helping to prevent – the most serious international crimes”, said ICC President Judge Silvia Férnandez. The design of the building reflects the transparency of the institution and its innovativeness. It combines striking architecture with stringent security measures, while showcasing best practices in sustainability and respect for nature, within the natural dune landscape between The Hague and the North Sea. As part of The Hague’s International Zone, it is near Peace Palace, Europol, ICTY, OPCW and other international organisations. The host state, the Netherlands, made the site available free of charge. The building complex consists of six towers that are connected on the ground and first floors and offer over 1,200 workplaces. The largest tower, the Court Tower, accommodates three courtrooms and the media centre. The public area on the ground floor will welcome visitors to the public galleries of the Courtrooms as well as a visitor centre and café. Since its opening on 1 July 2002, the ICC was temporarily located in two buildings on the other side of The Hague. In December 2007, the Assembly of States Parties decided that the ICC should be provided with newly built permanent premises. In 2010, following an international competition, the Danish firm schmidt hammer lassen was selected to design the new premises and in October 2012 Courtys, a consortium of the VolkerWessels subsidiaries Visser & Smit Bouw and Boele & van Eesteren, was chosen for the realisation. Construction work started on 16 April 2013. The project has been funded by States Parties, and its total cost, including the move, is around 204 million euros.

Ambassador Piragibe Tarragô with the convention document – Picture by hcch.net The Federative Republic of Brazil as represented in The Hague by its ambassador to The Netherlands, HE Sr. Piragibe Dos Santos Tarragô deposited on December 2th its instrument of accession to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (so-called “Apostille Convention”). Following the usual procedural steps, the Convention shall enter into force for Brazil on 14 August 2016, making it the 111th Contracting State to the Convention.