The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire and the head of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), Mrs Aïchatou Mindaoudou, on Friday, 31 January 2014, took part in a workshop of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) for the universality and efficiency of the International Criminal Court (ICC) system at the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire.



The Special Representative spoke during the opening ceremony of the First session of the Working Group on the fight against impunity in francophone African countries aimed at promoting efforts at the regional level for the ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute of the ICC, which provided an opportunity for parliamentarians to share their experiences, as well as sensitise the public on the need to prevent crimes against humanity and war crimes.



«An early warning UN system already exists and a response to concerns over increased violence, impunity for serious human rights violations and international humanitarian needs, » said the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Côte d'Ivoire, explaining that the system « is the key to the global strategy for the protection of civilians and it is not the only tool available ».



With regard to UNOCI, the Special Representative said that the Mission organises and supports multi-dimensional activities to support the restoration of the rule of law in order to help rebuild and strengthen the national jurisdiction so that legal structures can play their complementary role in the fight against impunity within the framework of international penal law.



The Honourable Mariame Traoré of Côte d'Ivoire's National Assembly and member of the PGA, the President of the Assembly of State parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, Her Excellency Tina Intelmann, the First Adviser of the European Delegation in Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Bruno Pozzi, the Coordinator of the Programme of Peace and Democracy of the PGA, Mr. Lamine Thiam, member of Senegal's National Assembly, the president of the Commission of General and Institutional Affairs of the National Assembly of Côte d'Ivoire, and the Honourable Mamadou Diawara also participated in the opening ceremony.



The aim of the first session of the Working Group on the Fight Against Impunity in Francophone African Countries is to promote regional efforts for the ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC for the participation of parliamentarians in the West African sub-region.