State Secretary Dovžan at 19th session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute

14. 12. 2020

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in the general debate held during the nineteenth session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). He expressed support for the independent and impartial work of the Court, commending the efforts of the international community to put an end to impunity for international crimes. He went on to underline the importance of promoting mutual trust and dialogue between all stakeholders to strengthen international peace and security.

State Secretary Dovžan stressed the importance of States Parties’ full cooperation with the ICC and the need to implement the recommendations of the Independent Expert Review of the ICC and the Rome Statute System.

The State Secretary voiced support for the mandate of the Trust Fund for Victims, to which Slovenia is a regular contributor. Slovenia’s support also includes initiatives aimed at identifying and clarifying all forms of sexual violence and at developing and strengthening international criminal law, including relevant policies and practices.

State Secretary Dovžan underlined the growing support for the initiative of Slovenia, Argentina, Belgium, Mongolia, the Netherlands, and Senegal – the ‘Core Six States’ – to adopt a new multilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance and extradition for domestic prosecution of some of the most serious international crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity and some war crimes. The so-called MLA initiative, first mooted in 2011, is aimed at filling a long-standing legal vacuum in international criminal justice.

This year, the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute will be taking place in two locations – from 14 to 16 December in The Hague and from 17 to 23 December in New York. The States Parties will make several important decisions relating to the future operations of the Court, including decisions on a mechanism for the implementation of the Independent Expert Review recommendations aimed at ensuring a more efficient functioning of the Court and the entire system of the Rome Statute. In New York, the States Parties are scheduled to elect six ICC judges, the ICC Prosecutor, the new ASP President, and members of the Bureau of the Assembly.