Nigerian judge, Osuji elected President of International Criminal Court

Nigerian judge, Osuji elected President of International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has elected Nigeria’s Mr. Chile Eboe-Osuji as the President.

The term will run for three years – 2018 to 2021.

This was announced in a statement on Sunday by the Head, Public Affairs Unit, Mr. Fadi El Abdallah, who said the three-year term is with immediate effect.

“Today, 11 March 2018, the judges of thesitting in a plenary session, elected Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji(Nigeria) as President of the Court for a three-year term with immediate effect,” the statement read.

Abdallah said that Judge Robert Fremr (Czech Republic) was elected First Vice-President and Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (France) Second Vice-President.

“I am deeply honoured to have been elected by my peers as President of the International Criminal Court.

“As I take up my duties, I feel encouraged that I am able to rely on the wide experience of the two Vice-Presidents, Judge Robert Fremr and Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, both of whom I have closely worked with previously.

“I look forward to working together with them as well as with all the judges, all the Officials and the staff of the Court in a spirit of collegiality.

“I also look forward to collaborating with the Assembly of States Parties, civil society and the international community at large, acting together to strengthen and reinforce the Rome Statute system, the 20th anniversary of the adoption of which we celebrate this year”, President Chile Eboe-Osuji stated following the election.

“I am also grateful to the previous President, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, and Vice-Presidents, Judges Joyce Aluoch and Kuniko Ozaki, for their work and leadership,” he added.

According to the Court Spokesperson, the Presidency – consisting of the President and the two Vice-Presidents – plays a key role in providing strategic leadership to the ICC as a whole.

It coordinates with the other organs and seeks the concurrence of the Prosecutor on matters of mutual concern.

The Presidency is responsible for the proper administration of the Court, with the exception of the Office of the Prosecutor.

The presidency oversees the activities of the Registry and provides input into a broad range of administrative policies affecting the Court’s overall functioning.

It also conducts judicial review of certain decisions of the Registrar and concludes Court-wide cooperation agreements with States and international organizations