Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney announces voluntary contribution to ICC Prosecutor
- Foilsithe: 31 Márta 2022
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 12 Aibreán 2025
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, today announced a voluntary contribution of €150,000 to the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court (ICC). This contribution is being made in response to his request to all States Parties to the ICC to provide assistance in order to address the urgent resource needs of his Office. The Prosecutor’s workload has increased significantly following commencement of a formal investigation into the situation in Ukraine.
Announcing Ireland’s voluntary contribution to the OTP, Minister Coveney said:
"Ireland is a leading supporter of the International Criminal Court and was one of the 41 States to refer the situation in Ukraine to the Court earlier this month. I’m very pleased to be able to announce today a voluntary contribution to the Office of the Prosecutor of €150,000. This money will be used to provide new technology and equipment for investigations, provide enhanced psycho-social support to witnesses and survivors, and enhance specialised capacity with respect to investigation of sexual and gender based violence and crimes against children.
"The devastating reports of attacks by Russian forces against Ukrainian urban centres, medical facilities and civilians fleeing the conflict are a powerful reminder of the importance of having a properly resourced international criminal justice system. The independent and impartial functioning of the ICC Prosecutor stands squarely in the centre of this system."
Notes
- on 2 March 2022, Ireland joined 38 other States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC in referring the situation in Ukraine to the ICC Prosecutor. Two other States subsequently joined the referral shortly afterwards
- the effect of this referral was to enable the ICC Prosecutor to immediately commence a formal investigation into crimes against humanity and war crimes that may have occurred on Ukrainian territory since 2014, including those crimes arising out of the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine
- in addition to today’s voluntary contribution of €150,000 to the OTP, Ireland this year paid an annual assessed contribution of €1,272,180 to the ICC which is utilised for funding all organs of the Court
- Ireland is also providing financial support to the ICC's Trust Fund for Victims this year to the amount of €200,000, which aims to support the immediate needs of victims of international crimes. The Trust Fund for Victims was created to implement court-ordered reparation awards arising from individual cases before the ICC, and provide physical, psychological and material assistance to victims and their families in ICC situation countries