(As delivered)

Statement by Minister Takeshi Akahori
Briefing by the ICC Prosecutor to the UN Security Council on Darfur
8 June 2017

 

 

Thank you, Mr. President.

 

I would like to begin by thanking Prosecutor Bensouda for her briefing. Japan expresses its gratitude to the Office of the Prosecutor for its tireless efforts in the fight against impunity, despite the challenges it faces in Darfur.

 

Security Council Resolution 1593 explicitly states that the Government of Sudan and all other parties to the conflict in Darfur shall cooperate fully with the International Criminal Court and the Prosecutor. Japan urges full implementation of this resolution so that Member States can uphold the credibility and legitimacy of the Council. We share the Prosecutor’s frustration over the difficulties in this area, and we believe the Council could do more to address non-compliance.

While noting ongoing efforts among States Parties of the Rome Statute of the ICC to improve cooperation with the Court, States Parties should make further efforts to prevent future non-cooperation by utilizing various measures. The toolkit prepared by some States Parties including Japan and Senegal for this purpose is one such available and useful measure.  

Japan also takes note of the exchanges between the ICC and Jordan on the incident in March this year, as well as of the ongoing proceedings in the Pre-Trial Chamber II concerning South Africa. Japan will continue to follow these developments closely.

 

Japan is encouraged by the improved security situation in Darfur.  However, we are concerned by the recent fighting between the Government and the SLA-MM and other rebel forces. We underline the importance of a permanent ceasefire based on the AU High level Implementation Panel Roadmap to resolve the conflict in the country. In this regard, we continue to strongly support President Mbeki and the JSR’s good offices. There are still 2.7 million internally displaced persons in Darfur according to the special report on the Strategic Review of UNAMID. Japan is concerned that IDPs are vulnerable to various forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based crimes. Perpetrators of such and other crimes in Darfur must be brought to justice. Japan emphasizes that the Government’s obligations with regard to the Prosecutor and the ICC remain unchanged.

 

I would like to conclude by reiterating Japan’s continued support to the activities of the ICC. Japan looks forward to concrete progress on this issue.

 

Thank you Mr. President.