Speech of ICCBA President at the Opening of the ICC Judicial Year

On 18 January 2019, President of the ICCBA, Chief Charles Taku attended the ceremony for the Opening of the Judicial Year at the ICC. The event was attended by judges, representatives of defence and victim legal teams as well as other dignitaries. In his speech, Chief Taku stated that the International Criminal Court Bar Association strongly reaffirms its unwavering support for the universal values enshrined in the Rome Statute, including the right to fair and expeditious proceedings," and that "While we do not know what lies ahead in the future, we need to keep thinking ahead to strengthen and empower the ICC of tomorrow."

Chief Taku also highlighted the work of the ICCBA on legal aid, training and anti-harassment policies and stated that the work on these important issues would continue throughout 2019.

The full text of the speech is available here.