ICC, GIMPA Law Faculty pledge to revive terms of existing MOU between the two institutions

The International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Law Faculty of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), have pledged to revive the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the two institutions signed in 2019.

The two institutions made the pledge when their respective leaders, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, Dean of the GIMPA Faculty of Law and the ICC President Piotr Jozef Hofmanski, met on 7th December 2022, on the sidelines of the 21st session of the Annual Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) ongoing at The Hague, in The Netherlands.

However, GIMPA and the ICC have not been able to implement the terms of the Memorandum of understanding for the last two years due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic a month after the agreement was signed.

“When I get back [to Ghana], we are going to put together specific concrete proposals on the specific things we want to do to further the cooperation in terms of the MOU. So, for instance, the ICC Internship and Visiting Professionals programme that we agreed upon in 2019, where students, lawyers and judges from Ghana will be brought to The Hague to work at the ICC for a few months every year, is something that we want to revive” Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu said in his interaction with the ICC President.

“We were in the process of implementing this innovative programme but COVID-19 did allow that in 2020, so that is something that we want to revive next year. We also want to continue our exchange programmes where ICC officers come to Ghana to train lawyers, journalists, students etc. in order to put out accurate information on international criminal justice in general, and the role of the International Criminal Court in particular” Agyeman-Budu added.

ICC commitment to MOU

The ICC President Piotr Jozef Hofmanski, on his part, asked the GIMPA Faculty of Law through its dean, Dr Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, to present a paper detailing all the issues raised so that his office can have a document to work with towards implementation.

He indicated that the ICC stands ready to strengthen its relationship with the GIMPA Law Faculty and to meet her obligations under the MOU that was signed with GIMPA.

Existing MOU

The International Criminal Court and the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ), one of several law centres at the GIMPA Faculty of Law, signed a memorandum of understanding in December 2019, which will allow the two institutions to co-operate closely in the fight against impunity on the African continent.

The aim of the MOU was to deepen understanding and appreciation of the role and work of the ICC within the international criminal law and justice architecture.

The agreement was signed by representatives of the two institutions on 6th December 2019 in The Hague, on the sidelines of the Annual Assembly of State Parties of the ICC, which took place in the month of December.

The new relationship which was instituted between the ICC and the ACICJ will lead to the development of courses focusing on international criminal law, participation in the ICC internship programme by ACICJ students, and participation in the ICC visiting professionals programme by ACICJ students and faculty and professionals from Africa generally.

It will also promote the exchange of speakers and collaborative initiatives such as lectures, seminars, events, research and surveys. The agreement is for a five-year period and is subject to renewal by the two entities after the initial period lapses.

Presentation of portrait

At the meeting, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, on behalf of the Governing Council of GIMPA, presented to the President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Piotr Hofmanski, a portrait picture of himself.

The gesture was to convey GIMPA’s appreciation to him for accepting their invitation to visit Ghana and to deliver the “ACICJ/GIMPA Law School’s Annual Public Lecture on International Criminal Justice” last September.

Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, was accompanied by the Deputy Head of the Ghana Mission in The Hague, Netherlands, Dr Senalor Kwabla Yawlui and Mrs Mayfair Adomako-Mensah, Minister/Counsellor and ICC Schedule Officer at the Ghana Mission in The Hague, Netherlands.