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Security Council members party to Rome Statute urge cooperation after ICC prosecutor's Darfur report
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Summary
A joint statement delivered to the U.N. Security Council said the International Criminal Court's Office of the Prosecutor found reasonable grounds that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been and continue to be committed in Darfur, and urged stronger state cooperation with arrest warrants and witness protection.
Representative, speaking on behalf of Security Council members that are parties to the Rome Statute, delivered a joint statement welcoming the International Criminal Court's Office of the Prosecutor's first report on the situation in Darfur and urging enhanced cooperation to support investigations and arrests.
The statement said the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) had "confirmed it has reasonable grounds to believe that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been and continue to be committed in Darfur," and commended the office's evidence-based investigations and strategic partnerships.
The statement explained why the report matters: accountability for alleged mass crimes in Darfur depends on cooperation from states and on the OTP's ability to access witnesses, protect them and secure evidence. The delegates called on states and relevant actors to support the OTP's work and to fulfill obligations under the Rome Statute and Security Council resolution 1593, in particular cooperation with arrest warrants and requests for assistance.
According to the statement, the OTP's work included operations in eastern Chad and other neighboring territories that strengthened ties with affected populations, and a Port Sudan visit that advanced dialogue with national authorities and witness identification efforts. The delegates said Sudanese authorities had provided some cooperation, including facilitating a Port Sudan visit, but they urged Sudan to "further enhance their assistance by engaging more constructively with the office regarding the arrest of suspects subject to ICC arrest warrants." The statement also said responsiveness to assistance requests has declined and security constraints "severely limit Darfur access."
The delegates warned that witness protection concerns in Chad and Darfur and resource limitations create additional barriers to cooperation, and they called on states and other actors to help address these operational challenges. The statement reiterated that international cooperation remains fundamental to ensuring justice for victims and upholding the rule of law.
The joint statement closed by reaffirming support for the ICC as an independent and impartial judicial institution and by defending the court's integrity against actions targeting the institution, its officials, or cooperating partners. "We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the court as an independent and impartial judicial institution," the delegates said.
No formal vote or decision on the report was recorded in the transcript; the remarks were a joint statement delivered during the Security Council meeting.
