June 5 - 6, 2000 | Arusha, Tanzania

On June 5-6, 2000, PGA organized the "East African Conference on ICC Ratification," in Arusha, Tanzania, with support from PGA members Hon. Manuel Pinto, MP (Uganda); Hon. James Orengo, MP (Kenya) and PGA International Council member Hon. Philip Marmo, Deputy Speaker of Tanzania.

Justice Navenethem Pillay, President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), and Ambassador Francis Kazaura, Deputy Executive Secretary of the East African Cooperation, opened the Conference in the Simba Hall of the Arusha International Conference Centre, where peace talks on Burundi moderated by President Nelson Mandela were recently held.

The Solicitor General of Kenya, Mr. Julius K. Kandie and on behalf of the Attorney General Hon. Dr. Bart Katureebe, the Solicitor General of Uganda, Mr. Lucan Tibaruha, addressed the audience of politicians and jurists on "the International Criminal Court and the role of East Africa in the development of international justice: from the ICTR to the ICC". Justice William Sekule, the Tanzanian judge at the ICTR, stressed the key contribution of African nations in the creation of an international system of criminal justice. The chairperson of the session was Tanzanian Deputy Speaker Hon. Philip Marmo.

Participation from leading members of Parliamentarians for Global Action included Hon. Dr. Benedict Mutyaba, MP (Uganda); Hon. Shem O. Ochodho, MP (Kenya) and Sen. A. Raynell Andreychuk (Canada), Convenor of PGA's International Law and Human Rights Program.

Under the able chairmanship of Hon. Manuel Pinto (Uganda), with support from Sen. Andreychuk, the June 6th session concluded with the adoption, by consensus, of the text from the "Arusha Plan of Action for the ICC." This text contains a survey of national procedures for ratification of the Rome Statute by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, together with proposed action to be undertaken by the Parliaments and executives of these countries. The Plan of Action outlines the specific approach that East African States could take with respect to ratification and implementation of the Statute in their domestic legal systems, including a non-exhaustive list of elements to be incorporated in enabling legislation.

The Secretariat of the East African Cooperation will insert the item of ICC ratification to the agenda of its "legal and judicial sector" (thematic area, human rights law enforcement) as a follow up to the Conference.

Parliamentarians, government officials and NGO representatives participating in the Arusha deliberations left the Conference with a strong commitment to pursue ratification by their States and then to effectively implement the ICC Statute in their national systems.

At a press conference hosted by the ICTR at the end of the Conference, Deputy Speaker of Tanzania Hon. Philip Marmo and Canadian Sen. Raynell Andreychuk presented the outcome of the Conference to the regional media, which play an essential role in developing public awareness of International Justice. Hon. James Orengo, MP (Kenyan) stressed the need for all political groups of Kenya to work together towards expediting ratification. The Ugandan representatives at the Conference announced the imminent ratification of the ICC by their country.

"None of the East African States have ratified the ICC Statute. This is where this PGA Conference becomes crucial for the East African States. The discussions and recommendations from this Conference will help our Governments decide not if to ratify, but when to ratify." Dr. Bart Katureebe, Attorney General of Uganda and Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs - June 5, 2000