THE Sixth Session of the Assembly of States Parties at the UN Headquarters in New York, has elected three judges including a Ugandan to fill judicial posts at the International Criminal Court.
The ASP on Friday elected Fumaiko Saiga (Japan) with 82 votes, Bruno Cotte (France) with 79 votes to fill ICC judicial posts. In a fourth round of voting on Monday, they elected Daniel David Ntanda Nsereko (Uganda) with 74 votes to the ICC bench, according to a media statement released on Monday.
Justice Nsereko becomes the second Ugandan to hold such a judicial position at The Hague after Justice Julia Sebutinde who is the presiding judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Sierra Leone.
Mr Nsereko's election was followed on Tuesday by a call from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon for the arrest of indicted war criminals like LRA leader Joseph Kony.
Justice Nsereko is an advocate in the High Court of Uganda and professor of law at the University of Botswana in Gabarone. He is on the ICC's list of counsel who are eligible to represent accused persons and victims.
He has provided expert legal opinions to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and to the ICC's Office of the Chief Prosecutor. He also participated in the negotiation process of the Rome Statute from 1995 to 2002.
His election came as UN Secretary Generel Ban Ki-moon called on the international community to maintain funding and public advocacy for the ICC, stressing that the long-term success of the court depends on greater co-operation from states.
The ICC has issued nine arrest warrants, five of which are against Ugandan rebels.
The other two are in Sudan while others are in DR Congo.
However, the Secretary-General stressed that the Court's ongoing success, and even ability to function, will rely closely on the support of States Parties and from the United Nations, international organisations, nongovernmental organisations and civil society groups.
He called for cooperation that results in financial support and political backing, and which flows from expressions of support in public for both the Court and for its Trust Fund for Victims.
