The ceremony to hand over the ICTR Case law to the Rwandan authorities and certificates to 35 participants who completed the training conducted by the UN Tribunal on legal documentary techniques, use of library management soft ware WINISIS and online legal research took place at Hotel Novotel Umubano in Kigali on 21/03/2005.

In a key speech addressed to the senior government officials, other invited guests and officials who completed the training, the Registrar of the ICTR, Mr. Adama DIENG, expressed his pleasure to be in Rwanda and appreciated the importance given to this ceremony by the government of Rwanda as illustrated by the presence of key government officials like the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation and that of Justice and Institutional Affairs, a move he described as an indication that the government of Rwanda appreciates the work of the Tribunal.

The Registrar added that the Tribunal faced many challenges as regards lack of enough resources to carry out additional activities regarding capacity building. He however mentioned that the Secretary-General of the United Nations had requested member states to offer support to these programmes. He mentioned that the difficult relationship between the Tribunal and the Government did not in the past allow to exploit fully the potential of cooperation.

He appreciated the current existing cooperation between the Government of Rwanda and the Tribunal that has enabled the ICTR to extend its activities in Rwanda. He went on to cite examples like capacity building support to the National University of Rwanda, support to legal students and lecturers especially in research programmes, the establishment of Umusanzu Documentation centre among others.

The Registrar further indicated that the Tribunal believes that investment in training is timely and hopes that the knowledge given to the different professionals in documentary techniques and the use of the software WINISIS would be instrumental in strengthening the Rwandan Judicial system.

‘’The Tribunal with the support from the European Union shall embark on various training programmes and plans are in the pipeline to set up Documentation Centres country wide that would give Judicial Officers operating in Provinces and Districts accessibility to Legal information ,’’ he pointed out.

The ICTR jurisprudence handed over officially to the Minister of Justice by the Registrar includes among others, the Case Law, all judgements delivered, CD-ROM containing judicial proceedings and other related information.

Speaking at the same ceremony, the Minister of Justice and Institutional Affairs Mrs Eda MUKABAGWIZA, who was the Chief Government guest, thanked the ICTR for its continued efforts in enhancing the cooperation between the UN Tribunal and Rwanda. She very much appreciated the training offered to the Rwandan legal officers and students saying that this would not only assist librarians in management but also enable them to protect efficiently legal archives. She expressed happiness towards the ICTR’ s plans to extend documentation centres in other parts of the country saying that this would be instrumental in the promotion of the rule of law in the country.

‘’ Today we are talking about ICT, our legal officers now boast of the knowledge of the software, WINISIS, I am sure this will enable us save time that we have been spending in analyzing legal documents and I request the participants to extend the knowledge to others who have not attended this course,’’ the Justice Minister said. She expressed appreciation on receiving the ICTR case law.

‘’ I am very happy with this case law. I am sure it will help our judicial officials and other Rwandans to know what is happening in Arusha and even to assist them in legal research and procedures. Mr. Registrar I wish that we receive such documents on a regular basis,’’ She added.

The Ministry of justice requested the ICTR to continue with its support to the capacity building programme of the Rwandan judicial sector, so as to help the judicial officials to take over cases after the closure of the Tribunal in 2008.

This Ceremony was attended by different senior government and judicial officials including, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation, Dr. Charles MULIGANDE, the Minister of Justice and Institutional Affairs, Mrs. Eda MUKABAGWIZA, The Deputy President of the Supreme Court, Mr. Sam RUGEGE, The Deputy Prosecutor General, Mr. Martin NGOGA, the Rwanda’s representative to the ICTR, Mr. Aloys MUTABINGWA, and the Deputy President of the Military Court, Col. Charles BAGABO.