EU Statement – UN General Assembly 6th Committee: International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

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EU Statement - UN General Assembly 6th Committee: International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals

16.10.2024 Press and information team of the Delegation to the UN in New York

16 October 2024, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by Mr. Fabio Cannizzaro, Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Agenda item 128: "International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals"

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Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*and Georgia, as well as Andorra and Monaco align themselves with this statement.

We would like to thank President Graciela Gatti Santana for the twelfth annual report of the Mechanism covering the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.

Following the conclusion of all active core crimes proceedings and the tracking of fugitives, the Mechanism transitioned into its truly residual phase. The report defines this as a historic turning point, and we congratulate President Gatti Santana and the whole Mechanism for having efficiently fulfilled their core mandate in the pursuit of international justice and accountability.

Let us remind ourselves, though, that the pursuit of accountability does not end with the Mechanism entering into its truly residual phase. It is now for national authorities to cooperate and redouble their efforts to achieve greater justice for the victims of the atrocious crimes committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

This includes ensuring the enforcement of sentences, reducing the backlog of national cases, locating and prosecuting the several hundred fugitive Rwandan génocidaires, prosecuting the thousands of suspects in relation to the war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, and assisting the Mechanism in its several important residual activities.

In this context, we regret that, despite the persistent efforts of the Mechanism, the situation of the eight acquitted or released persons who were relocated to Niger in 2021 remains unresolved. We also deplore the delays in arresting and surrendering the accused persons in certain contempt cases.

We call on all States to cooperate with Mechanism and refrain from any action that would frustrate its activities and achievements.

Mr. President,

To conclude, we commend the Mechanism for its accomplishments as well as for its efforts toward an ordered and efficient winding down of its operations. It is important that the report mentions, in this context, the challenges related to the threats to the legacy and work of the ad hoc Tribunals and the Mechanism posed by "genocide denial, historical revisionism and the glorification of convicted war criminals". Preserving memory is essential for reconciliation. It is our collective responsibility to defend the work and the legacy of the ad hoc Tribunals and the Mechanism against those threats and to ensure that their indispensable contribution to international justice will be known to current and future generations. The European Union and its Member States stand ready to play their part.

Thank you.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.