|
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza and the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Sang-Hyun Song met on Monday, 18 April 2011, at the OAS headquarters in Washington D.C. to sign an Exchange of Letters for the establishment of a Framework Cooperation Arrangement between the ICC and the General Secretariat of the OAS.
Addressing the guests of the signing ceremony convened on this occasion, President Song stated that the “emerging system of international criminal justice can only become fully effective with the strong support of States and the international community as a whole. Regional organisations such as the OAS play a vital role in paving the way toward that goal.” He expressed his appreciation for the various efforts that the OAS has undertaken in support of the Rome Statute system to date, stating that it has been “one of the most consistent and vocal proponents of the ICC”.
In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Secretary General Insulza asserted that the International Criminal Court “represents a landmark in the history of international law, international criminal law, and international humanitarian law, and in the international endeavor to fight impunity against gross violations of human rights.”
President Song and Secretary-General Insulza agreed to further develop the working relationship between the two organisations, recalling that the struggle against impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to humanity is integral to the global efforts for peace, justice and the rule of law.
The Framework Cooperation Arrangement, which is concluded in accordance with Article 87(6) of the Rome Statute, foresees that the ICC and the General Secretariat of the OAS will cooperate in matters of common interest such as: promotion and dissemination of international criminal law, including the principles, values and provisions of the Rome Statute of the ICC; exchange of information and documents; and reciprocal invitations to conferences and meetings.
The Exchange of Letters and the Framework Cooperation Arrangement will be published in due course in the Official Journal of the ICC on the Court’s website.
President Song’s remarks at the signing ceremony are available here (in English).
A gallery of photos from the signing ceremony is available on the OAS website.
For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Associate Legal Outreach Officer, by telephone at: +31 (0)70 515-9152 or by e-mail at: [email protected].
You can also follow the Court’s activities on YouTube and Twitter.