Between 20 and 22 October 2025, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Tomoko Akane, paid an official visit to Kampala, Uganda together with the Second Vice-President of the Court, Judge Reine Alapini Gansou.
Speaking to stakeholders and members of the affected communities from Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the President commended their longstanding engagement with the Court. Building upon her experience as an ICC Judge who has worked in all three divisions, she said "I have seen the life of an ICC case, and how, at each stage, the affected communities and, importantly, those who bridge the gap between them and the ICC play an important role".
During their visit, the President and the Second Vice-President met with representatives of the Ugandan authorities, including H.E. Mr Norbert Mao, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Attorney General, Mr. Pius Perry Biribonwoha, Solicitor General, and Mr. Bagiire Vincent Waiswa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda. The President expressed the Court's appreciation for Uganda's strong support towards the ICC's activities, particularly in the form of assistance provided via the ICC Country Office in Uganda. The delegation also met with Justice Flavian Zeija, Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda, as well as Justices of the International Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda, and discussed concrete ways to enhance institutional cooperation and corroboration in furtherance of the principle of complementarity.
The President and the Second Vice-President also held meetings with the UN Resident Coordinator H.E. Mr Leonard Zulu and expressed the Court's gratitude for the strong and unwavering support it receives, which remains essential for ICC operations including those in Uganda and neighbouring countries. The delegation also spoke with the Deputy Director General of the United Nations African Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFRI), Mr. Munanura Andrew Karokora, in order to strengthen mutual cooperation in areas of common interest.
Whilst in Kampala, the President and the Second Vice-President also had extensive engagements with the ICC Country Office in Uganda. The delegation was briefed on the current activities relevant to the Country Office and had separate engagements with each team within the Country Office to discuss their achievements and challenges. During her interactions, the President emphasised that the work carried out by staff of the Country Office is essential for the proceedings of the ICC and its legitimacy.
Background: The situation in Uganda was referred to the ICC by the Ugandan government in December 2003 and the Prosecutor opened an investigation in July 2004. On 1 December 2023, the Prosecutor announced that the investigation phase in the Uganda situation has been concluded. Two ICC cases are ongoing regarding the Uganda situation: The Prosecutor v. Joseph Kony (pre-trial stage) and The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen (reparations stage).
