MUSEVENI WANTS AFRICA TO EMBRACE ICC

Tuesday, 1st June, 2010

By Vision Reporter PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has described the review conference of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an opportunity to discredit the claim that it is a court for Europeans to judge Africans. Speaking at a state banquet in honour of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, and heads of delegations of the ICC member states at State House Entebbe, on Monday, Museveni urged Africans to embrace the ICC, saying it would benefit them. The conference, which will review the Rome Statute of the ICC, opened on Monday at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort. It will last until June 11. The conference represents the first opportunity to consider amendments to the statute and to take stock of its implementation and impact since it entered into force in 2002. Over 2,000 representatives of states, non-governmental organisations and inter-governmental organisations are participating. Museveni noted that for Uganda that suffered war atrocities, the conference is a chance to interact and share experiences with the victims of the wars. He said Uganda has joined the rest of the world in condemning acts of terrorism and genocide. The President said the restoration of peace and security, good governance and the Prosperity-for-All programme were top issues on the agenda of the National Resistance Movement. He said Uganda has been honoured to participate in the peace building processes in the region and pledged to continue protecting human rights and work for peace. Ki-moon described the conference as a reminder that the victims of the LRA war are at the centre of international justice. He saluted the President and the NRM government for efforts towards fighting impunity. The president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, re-affirmed his country’s commitment to the ICC.