INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

What:             The Fourth Annual AU-ICC joint seminar

Who:              African Union Commission and International Criminal Court

When:           Friday, 23th October, 2015 (Small Conference Hall) @10am 

Where:           African Union Commission Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Objectives:
i.    To continue dialogue and exchange of views between the ICC and the AU;
ii.    To explore further avenues of engagement, cooperation and coordination in the framework of the complementarity principle enshrined in the Rome Statute;
iii.    To enhance understanding and respect for the respective mandates of the ICC and the AU;
iv.    To identify areas of mutual interest and concern and explore possibilities for synergies, including sharing of experiences and lessons learned on issues such as Sexual and Gender Based Crimes and Protection of Children in Armed Conflict;
v.    To exchange views on the relationship between the ICC and the proposed African Court of Justice and Human Rights and assess the critical challenges that both Institutions will face in their investigation and prosecution of serious crimes;
vi.    To develop possible strategies or practical actions for ICC-AU cooperation and discuss possible practical recommendations.
Participants:  
•    Participants from the AU Commission and Ambassadors and legal advisors from the Permanent Missions of the African Union Member States;
•    The Coordinator of the African Group of States Parties at the United Nations, New York;
•    ICC officials from Presidency, the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry;
•    As observers, donors contributing to the seminar (Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and the European Union). 

Background: The first three Joint Seminars between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the African Union (AU) were held in Addis Ababa on 18-19 July 2011, 17-18 October 2012 and 7-8 July 2014, respectively. 

The three Seminars brought together ICC experts, AU Commission staff, as well as Ambassadors and legal advisors of the Permanent Missions of the African Union Member States in Addis Ababa. 

These Seminars were intended to facilitate dialogue and provide an opportunity for frank and open discussions between the ICC and the AU, with a view to fostering understanding of the respective mandates of the two institutions, discussing issues of mutual interest and strengthening the relationship between the two institutions. 

Following the positive outcome of the 2014 Seminar, as well as consultations between the Court and the AU Commission, the need and desirability to hold a fourth ICC-AU Joint Seminar in 2015 was identified.

Media representatives are invited to cover the event.