We would like to make this statement on behalf of the Security Council members as well as incoming members, that are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC): Denmark, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guyana, Malta, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and our own countries, Switzerland and Japan.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the ICC Prosecutor, Mr. Karim Khan, and his team for presenting the 28th report of his Office to the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Libya.
We welcome the progress made by the Office of the Prosecutor under its renewed strategy for the situation in Libya, including its current focus on the roadmap towards completing investigative activities. We note with satisfaction the advancements made by the Prosecutor’s Office in key lines of inquiry, particularly the significant progress on crimes related to the 2014-2020 operations and crimes against migrants. We further acknowledge the unsealing of six warrants of arrest related to crimes which took place in Tarhunah.
Cooperation is key in order to allow the Court to fulfill its mandate. We welcome the improved cooperation between the Libyan authorities and the Prosecutor’s Office, and welcome the fact that today’s briefing to the Council took place from Tripoli. Such cooperation is indispensable not only for the conclusion of the investigative phase, but also throughout the prosecutorial and judicial phases. We thus welcome the recent issuance of multiple entry-visas, as well as the constructive and substantive exchanges, including on efforts to improve complementarity.
We express our hope for continued cooperation and reaffirm our commitment to comply with our cooperation obligations under the Rome Statute. We urge all States to fully support the Court in carrying out its vital mandate of ensuring justice for the victims of the most serious crimes under international law.
We further welcome the substantial increase in the Office’s engagement with victims, victims’ associations, civil society, and women’s organizations. We underline the crucial role played by civil society for accountability efforts and the fight against impunity, and express our grave concern about the restrictions imposed on civil society in Libya.
Finally, we reaffirm our steadfast and unwavering support for the Court as an independent and impartial judicial institution. We strongly reiterate our commitment to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute, safeguarding its integrity against any threats or actions aimed at the Court, its officials, or its partners. We once again condemn any threats, attacks, or interference against the Court, its personnel, and those cooperating with it. We renew our resolve to stand united and resolute against impunity.
Thank you.