The United Nations Under-Secretary General for Legal Affairs Mr. Nicolas Michel today visited the Tribunal. Upon arrival in Arusha, Mr. Michel accompanied by the Registrar, Mr. Adama Dieng and other senior officials of the Registry, was given a guided tour of the United Nations Detention Facility by its commanding officer. At the ICTR Headquarters, Mr. Michel also enjoyed another guided tour of the ICTR premises including the Career Resource Center and the staff welfare facilities organized by Ms. Sarah Kilemi, Chief of the Division of Administrative Support Services. He attended a court hearing as well as a demonstration of real time transcript production and a presentation of ICTR’s Total Records and Information Management (TRIM) System in the Court Management Section.

During his short visit, Mr. Michel held talks withother Tribunal officials including the legal staff. He also held a separate meeting with the President of the ICTR, Judge Dennis Byron and all the judges. The Tribunal officials briefed Mr. Michel on the ICTR Completion Strategy, namely the challenges facing the Tribunal in its operations. In his address to the legal staff, Mr. Michel commended the work of the Tribunal and its staff in promoting international criminal and humanitarian law as well as the rule of law. He also noted that the ICTR has played an important role in fighting the culture of impunity in the world and has developed a strong body of dynamic and talented lawyers and judicial expertise, which are true assets for the United Nations Organization and for its future contribution to national judicial capacity building efforts.

Mr. Michel arrived in Arusha from Kigali, Rwanda where he had accompanied the UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon on an official visit. While in Kigali, Mr. Michel and the UN Secretary-General visited the Tribunal’s office where the Secretary-General held a general meeting with the staff of all UN Rwanda-based agencies. The Secretary-General also held a separate discussion with ICTR senior managers who provided him and his delegation with an overview of some current challenges facing the ICTR at this particular juncture of its completion strategy. The Secretary-General praised the work carried out by UN staff in maintaining global peace and harmony. A high-powered delegation from the Headquarters of the Tribunal was present. The delegation was led by ICTR President, Judge Dennis Byron, the Prosecutor, Mr. Hassan Bubacar Jallow and the Registrar, Mr. Adama Dieng.