The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (the "Bureau") decided on 28 September 2026 that the twenty-fifth session of the Assembly, originally scheduled to take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York, will be relocated to The Hague from 30 November to 7 December 2026 (inclusive), with Saturday, 5 December and Sunday, 6 December as working days.
The decision was taken in light of concerns related to limitations on participation arising from the venue of the session. These include elected officials of the Court subject to United States sanctions, as well as visa restrictions affecting some delegations and representatives of non-governmental organizations. The decision to relocate the Assembly session was taken following consultations with all States Parties.
The Assembly has previously recognized the importance of enhancing the security of participants in its work, including all States Parties representatives, officials of the Court as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations participating in Assembly sessions.
The President of the Assembly, Ms. Päivi Kaukoranta, emphasized that the decision to relocate the twenty-fifth session was taken in light of the specific circumstances prevailing in 2026 and does not establish a precedent for determining the venue of future sessions of the Assembly.
The Presidency further recalls that Naoero has contributed to the collective work of the Assembly of States Parties in support of the International Criminal Court as an independent and impartial judicial institution.
