Registrar of the Mechanism for International Tribunals pays courtesy call on Secretary General
East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanzania; 16 June 2017:
The Registrar of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), His Worship Olufemi Elias, accompanied by Mr. Samuel Akorimo, Head of Office MICT Registry Arusha Branch and Mr. Ousman Njikam, External Relations Officer, Arusha Branch today paid courtesy call on the EAC Secretary General, Amb Liberat Mfumukeko. The Secretary General and his guests explored areas of collaboration including Peace and Security in the region.
The Secretary General briefed His Worship Olufemi Elias on the current achievements in the pillars of the regional integration and development process. He disclosed to the Registrar that the Community had expanded tremendously within a short spell of time which has necessitated a review of its institutional set-up and work on a sustainable financing mechanism.
On his part, the Registrar informed the Secretary General on the structure of MICT and explained that, the Mechanism has two branches: one in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, which covers functions inherited from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Arusha Branch, and the other in the Hague, the Netherlands, which covers functions inherited from the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY), the Hague Branch. The Arusha Branch additionally has a satellite field office located in Kigali, Rwanda ("Kigali Office”).
In addition, his Worship said that, the Mechanism is responsible for the preservation, including the management and access, of the ICTR, the ICTY, and the Mechanism archives. These archives includes; investigations documents , indictments, and court proceedings, the protection of witnesses, work relating to the detention of accused persons, the enforcement of sentences, and the Tribunals’ relationships with other law enforcement authorities in member countries.
Mr. Samuel Akorimo, Head of Office MICT Registry Arusha Branch added that with the completion of the ICTR’s mandate at the end of 2015, and the expected completion of the ICTY’s mandate at the end of 2017, further cases related to crimes committed in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia are now being tried within national jurisdictions.
Accompanying the Secretary General at the meeting was the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Finance and Administration, Hon Jesca Eriyo.
Meanwhile, the Secretary General also met the Director of the East African Local Governments Association (EALGA), Eastern Africa Regional Office, Dr Juma Menhya accompanied by his Programme Assistant, Mr Baraka Marandu who had paid him a courtesy call in his office.
The Secretary General and his guest discussed several issues including how EALGA can strengthening their advocacy and commitment with EAC and other intergovernmental bodies by establishing structured dialogue platforms.
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For more information, please contact:
Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org
About the East African Community Secretariat:
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001: 2008 Certified