Press release
Minister Coveney announces contribution of €1.5 million to the International Criminal Court’s Trust
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, today announced a contribution of €1.5 million to the International Criminal Court’s Trust Fund for Victims. This amount, covering the years 2022 through to 2024 will provide assistance to the victims of international crimes, enable the implementation of Court ordered reparations, and enhance the visibility of the transformative work of the Trust Fund for Victims among affected communities.
The Trust Fund for Victims was established to respond to the harm resulting from the crimes under the jurisdiction of the Court. It overwhelmingly relies on voluntary contributions and donations to carry out its work and Ireland is a regular contributor.
Announcing Ireland’s latest contribution to the Trust Fund for Victims, Minister Coveney said:
"The events of this year have brought the importance of a functional and effective system of international criminal justice to the public’s attention like never before. An integral part of this system, as envisaged by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, is vindicating the rights of victims.
"As a State Party to the Rome Statute, Ireland stands with victims and their families, no matter who the perpetrators are, or, wherever they are located.
"This contribution is Ireland’s largest ever to the Trust Fund for Victims and serves to underpin our commitment to a truly reparative vision of justice that has been embodied in the Rome Statute. This funding will enable victims throughout every situation before the Court to rebuild their lives with the dignity and the support they deserve.
"I encourage all States Parties to consider making regular contributions to this essential pillar of the Rome Statute framework."
The Trust Fund for Victims was created pursuant to Article 79 of Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court for the benefit of victims of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court and of the families of such victims.
The Trust Fund has two mandates: a reparations mandate implementing court-ordered reparation awards arising from individual cases before the ICC, and an assistance mandate providing physical, psychological and material assistance to victims and their families in ICC situation countries.
Ireland has been a partner of the Trust Fund for Victims since 2004 and has made a total contribution of over €3.3 million since that time, including this contribution.
This contribution constitutes part of the €3 million in funding announced by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, during his visit to Kyiv on 14 April 2022. €1 million of this funding was immediately transferred to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, with the remaining €500,000 to be disbursed among the Special Fund for Relocations, the Trust Fund for the Development of Interns and Visiting Professionals and the Trust Fund for Family Visits.