Chile Eboe-Osuji, president of
the International Criminal Court (ICC) says President Muhammadu Buhari is one
of the most highly respected African statesmen of our time.
Speaking to the United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA) in New York earlier in the week, Eboe-Osuji expressed
reverence for president Buhari, quoting him three times in his speech to the
UN.
The speech, which was his first
in his capacity as president of the ICC, was on the occasion of presenting the
Court’s annual report to the United Nations for 2017/2018.
In a copy mailed by
the ICC, Osuji made a case for the sustenance of the criminal court, despite
opposition from President Donald Trump of the United States.
The ICC president said this year
“marks the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the Statute of the International
Criminal Court, fondly called the Rome Statute”.
He stated that the ICC was
created to serve as a conscience to humanity in her journey to and through
civilisation.
“[The]Mindful[ness] that during
[the 20th ] century [in which the Rome Statute was adopted] millions of
children, women and men ha[d] been victims of unimaginable atrocities that
deeply shock the conscience of humanity,” Eboe-Osuji said.
He went on to quote President
Buhari as he made a case for the sustenance of the criminal court.
“One of the most highly respected
African Statesmen of our time answered that question in a very straightforward
way,” he said.
“As part of his own reflections
during the 20th Anniversary of the Rome Statute in July, Nigeria’s President
Muhammadu Buhari answered that question in these words: ‘With the alarming
proliferation of the most serious crimes around the world, the ICC, and all
that it stands for, is now needed more than ever, in ways that were
unforeseeable to its founders’.
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| Buhari at The Hague with ICC judges |
‘The ICC may have been created at a time of optimism that it would not need to be utilized frequently, but, unfortunately, the increase in international crimes has only increased the Court’s relevance.’”
The 56-year-old judge went on to
say the ICC is one real structure that the world has now to try those who would
commit international crimes, and prevent such in the future.
“In this regard, I cannot but
invoke the following words of Nigeria’s President Buhari on the occasion of the
20th Anniversary of the Rome Statute: ‘The Rome Statute created more than a
court; it created the outline for a system of justice for horrific crimes
rooted first in national courts doing their job, and where they fail to do so,
the ICC stepping in only as the “court of the last resort”.’”
He asked the UNGA to make the
court stronger, rather than weaken its powers.
“I urge you to make it stronger
in every way that you can. DO NOT allow it to be weakened. Here, again, I quote
President Buhari one more time: ‘I urge all States that have not yet done so
to, as a matter of deliberate State policy, accede to the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court so that it can become a universal treaty.’”
Donald Trump attacked the court
last week, stating that “the United States will provide no support in
recognition to the International Criminal Court.”
“As far as America is concerned,
the ICC has no jurisdiction, no legitimacy, and no authority,” he added.
The Rome Statute, which
established the ICC, was adopted on the eve of Mandela’s birthday 20 years ago
– on 17 July 1998.
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