Excellencies
Honourable Ministers
I am humbled by the honour placed upon our delegation to preside over this meeting. I am confident that I speak for all of us in declaring our pleasure to be back here in this lovely city of Addis Ababa the capital of Africa. We are grateful to the AU Commission for the preparatory work undertaken and the concept note that facilitated the deliberation of the experts' meeting. We commend the experts for their spirit of collegiality that ensured that this Ministerial meeting has agreed recommendations to consider.
Honourable Ministers,
We met here in June of this year and highlighted issues that Africa should consider in preparation for the Review Conference of the ICC in 2010. Today we have the benefit of the recommendations by our experts to advise us on how the issues we raised could be advanced in the Review Conference.
As we consider these recommendations we are inspired by the principles of our organisation, the African Union (AU), which commits us to end impunity for international crimes. The noble ideals which guided the founding fathers and mothers of our continental organisation, being, promotion of peace, protection of human and people's rights and respect for the rule of law, still rings true today.
Therefore, the recommendations we adopt today should strengthen the institution best placed to deliver justice to victims of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide. We must leave no doubt that Africa still remains committed to respecting the sanctity of human life, condemns and rejects impunity in words and in action.
Honourable Ministers,
I now call upon the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission to deliver the opening address.
Issued by: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development
6 November 2009
Source: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (http://www.doj.gov.za)
