The Republic of Senegal and the United Nations on 22 November 2010 in Dakar, Senegal signed an agreement on the enforcement of sentences imposed by the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

The agreement was signed on behalf of Senegal by the Minister of State, Minister of Justice His Excellency Mr. Cheikh Tidiane Sy and on behalf of the United Nations by Mr. Adama Dieng, Assistant Secretary-General and Registrar of the ICTR in the presence of senior Government and UN officials.

The signing of this agreement is a very important step which underlines the commitment of the Senegalese Government in facilitating the discharge and completion of the mandate of the ICTR.

The signature of the agreement confirms the long-standing cooperation of Senegal with the Tribunal. With the agreement, Senegal becomes the eighth country approved to receive convicts under the UN Tribunal’s enforcement of sentences provisions. Mali, Benin, Swaziland, France, Italy, Sweden and Rwanda have already signed agreements on the enforcement of sentences.

According to the Statute of the Tribunal, sentences of imprisonment “shall be served in Rwanda or in any of the States on a list of States which have indicated to the Security Council their willingness to accept convicted persons as designated by the ICTR. Such imprisonment shall be in accordance with the applicable law of the State concerned, subject to the supervision of the ICTR.”

The ICTR Registrar commended the Government and the people of Senegal for their unwavering support and commitment to the work of the Tribunal and its mission of consolidating peace and security through justice in Rwanda and in the Great Lakes Region.