Assembly/AU/Dec.245(XIII) Rev.1
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DECISION ON THE MEETING OF AFRICAN STATES PARTIES TO THE ROME
STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)
Doc. Assembly/AU/13(XIII)
The Assembly,
1.
TAKES NOTE of the recommendations of the Executive Council on the Meeting
of the African States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal
Court (ICC);
2.
EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the indictment issued by the Pre-Trial
Chamber of the ICC against President Omar Hassan Ahmed El Bashir of the
Republic of The Sudan;
3.
NOTES WITH GRAVE CONCERN the unfortunate consequences that the
indictment has had on the delicate peace processes underway in The Sudan and
the fact that it continues to undermine the ongoing efforts aimed at facilitating the
early resolution of the conflict in Darfur;
4.
REITERATES the unflinching commitment of Member States to combating
impunity and promoting democracy, rule of law and good governance throughout
the continent, in conformity with the Constitutive Act of the African Union;
5.
REQUESTS the Commission to ensure the early implementation of Decision
Assembly/Dec.213(XII), adopted in February 2009 mandating the Commission, in
consultation with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights to examine the implications of the
Court being empowered to try serious crimes of international concern such as
genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, which would be
complementary to national jurisdiction and processes for fighting impunity;
6.
ENCOURAGES Member States to initiate programmes of cooperation and
capacity building to enhance the capacity of legal personnel in their respective
countries regarding the drafting and safety of model legislation dealing with
serious crimes of international concern, training of members of the police and the
judiciary, and the strengthening of cooperation amongst judicial and investigative
agencies;
7.
FURTHER TAKES NOTE that any party affected by the indictment has the right
of legal recourse to the processes provided for in the Rome Statute regarding the
appeal process and the issue of immunity;
Adopted by the Thirteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly in Sirte, Great Socialist People’s Libyan
Arab Jamahiriya on 3 July 2009