Press Release: 17 December 2020

 

Sierra Leone makes first voluntary contribution to the Trust Fund for Victims

 

 

It is with joy and gratitude that the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) announces that in 2020 the Government of Sierra Leone made its first ever voluntary contribution of €3,000 to the TFV. This recognition of the TFV by the Government of Sierra Leone illustrates its commitment to making reparative justice a reality for victim-survivors of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC.

 

Speaking at the 19th session of the ICC Assembly of States Parties this week, H.E. Nabeela Farida Tunis, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone said “Sierra Leone is firmly committed to the mandate of the International Criminal Court, and its status as an independent and impartial judicial institution. This commitment is for the victims. At the heart of the work of the Court are the victims, on whose behalf we have this accountability system. We, therefore, commend the Trust Fund for Victims for the discharge of its mandate despite the challenging circumstances. It is in recognition of the important work of the Trust Fund for Victims that Sierra Leone made a financial contribution as pledged in the 18th Assembly of States Parties meeting. The victims, we believe, must be at the fore and center in all our considerations of the International Criminal Court.”

 

Welcoming the  donation the TFV Board Chair, Mama Koité Doumbia thanked the Government of Sierra Leone saying “The TFV extends its sincere gratitude to Sierra Leone for its first voluntary donation. This contribution will be used to address the harm suffered by victims through reparations and assistance programmes implemented by the Trust Fund for Victims and its implementing partners. Most of all, this contribution helps give hope to victim-survivors by acknowledging the injustice done to them and showing there is a will from Sierra Leone and the international community to help them move forward with their lives. The TFV looks forward to continuing this partnership in Sierra Leone in 2021 and beyond.”

 

Voluntary contributions enable the Trust Fund for Victims to provide reparative value to victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC through reparations awards and assistance activities.

 

To date, the ICC has issued three reparations orders in the cases against Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, Germain Katanga, and Ahmed Al Faqi Al Mahdi. The convicted persons in these cases were found to be indigent and the TFV has responded to the Court’s requests to consider complementing the payment of the reparations awards. The TFV also engaged in the ongoing fourth reparations proceedings in Ntaganda.

 

Under its assistance mandate, the TFV provides medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, education, income-generating activities, and livelihood support. The TFV is continuing with its programme in northern Uganda, and has launched new assistance programme cycles in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in Central African Republic (CAR) . It will, furthermore  launch another assistance programme in Cote d’Ivoire (CIV) before the end of 2020.

 

For more information about the Trust Fund for Victims, please contact: trustfundforvictims@icc-cpi.int or visit: www.trustfundforvictims.org