Mechanism’s President and Chief of Registry, Hague branch, present the work of the Mechanism before a Working Party of the Council of the European Union

The President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), Judge Carmel Agius and the Chief of Registry in The Hague, Mr. Michael Adenuga, on behalf of Registrar Olufemi Elias, today gave presentations on the work of the Mechanism before the Working Party on Public International Law (Working Party) of the Council of the European Union (Council of the EU) in Brussels, Belgium.

At a meeting of the Working Party’s subgroup on the International Criminal Court (COJUR ICC), chaired by the Republic of Croatia in its current Presidency of the Council of the EU, President Agius briefed the representatives on the Mechanism’s ongoing activities and provided an overview of the current judicial caseload. President Agius also discussed a number of challenges that the Mechanism is facing, while underscoring the importance of 2020 for its mandate and the need for continued State cooperation and support.

Mr. Adenuga provided the expert group with an outline of the structure and organisation of the Mechanism’s Registry and discussed the substantive functions within the Registrar’s portfolio. Furthermore, Mr. Adenuga highlighted a number of Registry priorities in the upcoming period.

The Working Party is a preparatory body of the Council of the EU which deals with various public international law topics, including international humanitarian law, the work of the International Law Commission, and state responsibility. COJUR ICC, as part of the Working Party, is focused on cooperation and the exchange of information among Member States in respect of the International Criminal Court, as well as on the promotion of their participation in the Court.