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Copyright 2002 Africa News Service, Inc.
Africa News
February 5, 2002 Tuesday

LENGTH: 274 words

HEADLINE: West Africa;
Regional Seminar On International Criminal Court

BYLINE: UN Integrated Regional Information Networks

BODY:
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held a three-day regional
seminar last week in Abidjan on the statute of the International
Criminal Court(ICC).
The aim of the conference, attended mainly by senior officials of
ECOWAS member states and law specialists, was to inform the regional
experts on the role and purpose of the Court, its powers and its
methods of operation, ICRC's regional office in Abidjan said in a
statement. Participants were also briefed on the measures countries
need to take to implement the statute of the Court.
At the end of the conference, three recommendations were adopted,
including one calling on those West African countries that have not
ratified the court's statute to do so. Countries were also urged to
implement measures to facilitate cooperation with the Court once it
becomes effective, and to strengthen legislation prohibiting
violations of international humanitarian law.
Six of the 15 ECOWAS states - Benin, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal
and Sierra Leone have ratified the statute of the proposed court.
Eight others - Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Niger - have signed but not yet
ratified, ICRC said.
Togo has done neither.
The statute of the ICC was adopted in Rome on 17 July 1998. According
to ICRC, 49 countries have so far ratified it. It will come into
force two months after its 60th ratification.
The ICC will judge those deemed most responsible for violations of
international law including genocide, war crimes and crimes against
humanity.
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