THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR AN "AFRICAN RENAISSANCE"

New York, March 25, 1998. The active participation of African delegates is the most striking aspect of the final session of the Preparatory Committee for the establishment of an International Criminal Court (ICC). Twenty-five African countries-few of whom had previously followed the ICC proceedings-gathered in Dakar on February 5-6 at the initiative of the President of Senegal and No Peace Without Justice to devise a common African strategy. At the conclusion of their meetings, they adopted a declaration in support of the establishment of a just, effective and independent Court, which complemented a similar document adopted by the SADC countries in September.

Today, an unprecedented majority of African Governments are giving their full attention to the negotiations underway for the establishment of the ICC. This interest may not only play a key role in the success of the current difficult negotiations, (particularly it is deemed necessary that a third of UN Member States must ratify the Statute before it enters into force), but may also constitute an indirect message to US President Bill Clinton who, in the course of his visit to Africa, has underlined the importance of respecting human rights and free trade in the African continent's renaissance.

Africa has frequently been the object of renaissance projects, which have rapidly disintegrated under the weight of exploitation and ethnic conflicts. We believe that the functioning of a real system of international justice could strongly contribute in securing the long term rule of law, by creating the conditions of justice and peace which pave the way for the stable economic and democratic development of the African continent.

* The NGO coalition press conference will be held at 1.15 pm at UNCA club

Transnational Radical Party

No Peace Without Justice