This document has been published on 03Feb03 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights
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03Feb03
Election Of ICC Judges Begins.
The Hague, 3 February 2003 - The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute to the International Criminal Court will resume today its first session at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The meeting will conclude on Friday 7 February 2003. Eighteen judges will be elected by 85 States that have the right to vote, having ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in time to participate in the election.
On Tuesday 11 March 2003, the elected judges will be sworn in at a special ceremony that will take place in The Hague where the Court has its seat. The ceremony will be attended by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, in Her capacity as Head of the Host State of the Court.
In the meantime, the Division of Common Services has continued the operational setting up of the new organization and the Court is now ready to receive the senior authorities. The Division has already established the following systems: building management, finance, security, procurement, certain aspects of human resources (including recruitment and training), information technology and communications matters, a public information office and a web site as well as some aspects of conference and language services.
The operational setting up of the ICC responds to the challenge of reaching an optimal balance between quality of justice and financial costs. There is a need for a qualified justice that serves the public, guarantees a process leading to a fair decision within a reasonable delay and legitimises the institution.
The Court has a budget of Euros 30,000.000 for the first financial period. The Division was established with the intention to maximize efficiency and economy within the parameters of the strict division of powers set out in the Statute between the judiciary and the Office of the Prosecutor. The Division will provide to the judiciary, the Office of the Prosecutor, the Registry and the Defence administrative services that are a common requirement for all four.
The Division is headed by Mr. Bruno Cathala who was appointed by the Assembly of States Parties in September. It is now staffed by 29 employees from 19 nationalities; 12 female and 17 male. At the professional level there are 18 staff members from 14 different nationalities.
The Division of Common Services was preceded by an Advance Team whose mandate lasted from 1 July to 31 October 2002.
As of 31 January, 87 States had ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute of the Court and 139 were signatories.
The Division of Common Services was preceded by an Advance Team whose mandate lasted from 1 July to 31 October 2002.
As of 31 January, 88 States had ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute of the Court and 139 were signatories.
For information on the activities of the ICC Division of Common Services in The Hague, please contact Mrs. Claudia Perdomo, at the Office of Public Information +31 70 515-8514, claudia.perdomo@icc.int
For information on the Assembly of States Parties, see the related United Nations website, or contact Arnold Pronto at the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs, tel. 1-212-963-5360; pronto@un.org; or Edoardo Bellando at the UN Department of Public Information, tel. 1-212-963-8275; bellando@un.org
Source: ICC Press Releases - ICC - Division of Common Services - 03Feb03
This document has been published on 03Feb03 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights