SIDE EVENT CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

STRENGTHENING THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLICS JUSTICE SYSTEM AND

OPERATIONALISING THE SPECIAL CRIMINAL COURT
WEDNESDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2016, 16:00 18:00
Hotel Silken Berlaymont, 11-19 Boulevard Charlemagne, Brussels
TOPICS AND OBJECTIVES
The side event sets out to support the justice system of the Central African Republic (CAR)
as a whole, and in particular, the operationalisation of the Special Criminal Court (SCC) in
Bangui.
Further, it seeks to define the capacity building needs of the investigators, prosecutors and
judges who will serve the proposed court.
During the event the Ministry of Justice of the Central African Republic may outline achievements
and next concrete steps to be taken, including the proposed roadmap and timeline for the
establishment of the SCC. The panel debate may also serve to build on the clear commitment
from civil society at the Bangui Forum for Justice and Accountability, and underscore the need
for civil-society participation in the establishment of the SCC. The United Nations representative
will explain which efforts have been made to support the justice system and the SCC in particular.
Lastly, the panel will raise awareness of the unique judicial capacities which need to be developed
in order to address sexual violence.

CONTACT
BETTINA AMBACH, Director, Wayamo Foundation
and the Africa Group Secretariat
Prinzregentenstr.82, 10717 Berlin, Germany
Tel. +49 30 81032821
www.wayamo.com
bettina@bettinaambach.de
With the financial support of the Ford Foundation

KLAUS RACKWITZ, Director, International

Nuremberg Principles Academy
Egidienplatz 23, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany
Tel. +49 911 231 10 379
www.nurembergacademy.org
Klaus.Rackwitz@stadt.nuernberg.de

INTRODUCTION
Hassan Bubacar Jallow Former Prosecutor, International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and International
Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals and member of the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability
Didier Preira Former Deputy Registrar of the International Criminal Court and AGJA expert consultant
Bettina Ambach Director, Wayamo Foundation and AGJA Secretariat
Klaus Rackwitz Director, International Nuremberg Principles Academy

KEYNOTE
Flavien Mbata Minister of Justice of the Central African Republic

PANEL DISCUSSION
Moderator
Patryk I. Labuda Visiting Fellow, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, University of Cambridge (UK)
Panellists
Netsanet Belay Africa Director, Research and Advocacy, Amnesty International, Johannesburg
Amnesty Internationals forthcoming report on the justice sector in CAR and role of civil society in
supporting SCC going forward
Sofia Candeias Judicial Affairs Officer, Team of Experts; Office of the United Nations Special
Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict
The need to ensure accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in the context of the
Special Criminal Court
Fabrizio Hochschild Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General, Resident Coordinator of
the United Nations System, Humanitarian Coordinator, and Resident Representative of UNDP in the Central
African Republic
The UNs role in supporting the Central African Republics justice system and the Special Criminal Court
and the relationship between the two
Christian Londoumon President of the Court of Cassation (CAR)
Procedural aspects of the SCC, selection process for national and international court personnel and
needs assessment for future capacity building
Richard Malengule Country Director, Rule of Law Initiative, American Bar Association, Bangui
Victims and witnesses and their role under the Special Criminal Courts Establishment Act.
Stephen Rapp Distinguished Fellow at The Hague Institute for Global Justice, former Ambassador-atLarge for War Crimes Issues, Office of Global Criminal Justice, Department of State, United States of America
The advantages of mixed courts in building the capacity and will to end impunity

The panel discussion will be followed by an audience response/Q&A session.

All those attending are kindly invited to join us for a cocktail after the event.
With the financial support of the Ford Foundation