Overview by Rosalie Dieleman and Emma Bakkum, Research Associates PILPG-NL
Highlights:
The Assembly called upon all states to contribute to the trust fund to facilitate participation in future ASPs for underdeveloped states.
Vice President Sergio Ugalde concluded the ASP by thanking all parties involved for their cooperation and commitment.
The 11th and final plenary meeting concluded the 15th ASP with the adoption of the Omnibus Resolution, the consideration and adoption of the report of the Credentials Committee and the report of the 15th session of the ASP.
Firstly, the Omnibus Resolution, ”Strengthening the ICC and the ASP” (ICC-ASP/15/L.3), was adopted. Ghana, as coordinator of the African group, expressed concerns about transparency of staffing practices of the Court. Ghana requested on behalf of the African Group, that the registrar would provide no later than 31 January 2017 a comprehensive report on the staffing practices of the Court. Containing amongst other information the nationality and gender of each post. Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Venezuela, Namibia, Botswana, Uganda, South-Africa, DRC, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, and Lesotho spoke out to support this statement. France furthermore expressed it was having some difficulties with regards to the translated text of the Omnibus resolution, and requested the coordinator to have another look at this translation.
The resolution was adopted in consensus, and Belgium, Kenya and the Vice President of the ASP thanked the facilitor for the work she had undertaken. Subsequently, the report of Credentials Committee (ICC/ASP/15/L.2) and the report of the 15th ASP session (ICC/ASP/15/L) were adopted by consensus. Under the agenda item “other matters” the Vice President of the ASP thanked civil society, the Court and delegations for expressing their views and contributing to the dialogue during the open meeting of the Bureau concerning the relationship between the Court and African states. Furthermore, appreciations were expressed for those states who had contributed to the Trustfund for Victims, and called upon those in the position to do so to make further donations.
After this rather speedy adoption of the resolutions and reports without extensive debate, Vice President Sergio Ugalde concluded that the ASP was able to successfully conclude its work. He thanked states parties, civil society and members of the Court itself for contributing in achieving this result. He stated that this was a very challenging ASP for various reasons, yet dialogue in an open, sincere, profound and respectful manner contributed to a successful outcome. Ugalde stated that: ”We remain bound by our common endeavor to combat impunity and bring relief to victims of atrocious crimes”. He officially concluded the 15th session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute by thanking all parties involved for their “cooperation and commitment and constructive spirit” and closed the session with a minute of silence and meditation.