Kenyan judge Joyce Aluoch elected ICC Vice President

THE HAGUE: Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have elected Kenyan Judge Joyce Aluoch as the First Vice-President of the court for a period of three years.

Following the elections done on Wednesday Argentinean Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi was elected President of the Court and Judge Kuniko Ozaki from Japan elected the Second Vice-President.

ICC’s Presidency consists of the President and the two Vice-Presidents and plays a key role in providing strategic leadership to the ICC as a whole.

The Presidency coordinates with the other organs and seeks the concurrence of the Prosecutor on matters of mutual concern.

In accordance with the Rome Statute, the ICC’s governing treaty, the Presidency is responsible for the proper administration of the Court, with the exception of the Office of the Prosecutor.

In her acceptance speech Judge Fernández de Gurmendi said she will continue to work to ensure the courts mandate to seek justice is achieved.

“It is a great honour to have been elected President of the International Criminal Court. I will do my utmost to live up to the trust that my fellow judges have placed in me. I look forward to working together with the two Vice-Presidents, Judge Joyce Aluoch and Judge Kuniko Ozaki, and indeed all the judges and other organs of the Court, as well the Assembly of States Parties, civil society and the international community at large, in fulfilling the ICC’s important mandate for the sake of justice, peace and the rule of law”, President Fernández de Gurmendi stated following the election.

ICC’s Presidency also oversees the activities of the Registry and provides input into a broad range of administrative policies affecting the Court’s overall functioning. Furthermore it conducts judicial review of certain decisions of the Registrar and concludes Court-wide cooperation agreements with States and international organizations.