Opening Speech Dutch Minister Hoekstra at UAC | July 14 | The Hague

Opening speech of Minister Hoekstra at the Ukraine Accountability Conference. The Government of the Netherlands is hosting, together with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and the European Commission, an Ukraine Accountability Conference at ministerial level. More information can be found at https://www.government.nl/uac. The Ministerial Conference will be hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Wopke Hoekstra, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim A.A. Khan QC and EU Commissioner Didier J.L. Reynders. Participants will include the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Prosecutor-General of Ukraine and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict. Ms. Pramila Patten. --------- The purpose of the Ukraine Accountability Conference: Following the invasion of Ukraine, there have been shocking reports of gross violations of international human rights law and of international humanitarian law, many of which may amount to core international crimes. While these attacks have caused unquantifiable suffering, it has also given rise to a unique expression of support for collective action to ensure that those responsible for international crimes, including direct perpetrators and their superiors, will be held accountable The international community has taken meaningful first steps towards ensuring accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine, including the decisive action taken by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim A.A. Khan QC to open an investigation into the situation in Ukraine, aimed at bringing suspects of atrocity crimes before the Court. We need to support all roads towards justice, including the Ukrainian legal system. Different services of the EU Commission also provide assistance, with the Commission coordinating with the Council and Member States to ensure that support meets the needs of the ICC and the Ukrainian General Prosecutor’s Office. There is an urgent need to further coordinate these lines of effort to ensure that all action towards accountability benefits from a coherent approach. In doing so, we will increase the impact of our work and more effectively respond to the legitimate demands of survivors and their families for justice. Website: https://www.government.nl/uac Twitter:   / minbz   Twitter English:   / dutchmfa   Facebook:   / ministeriebz   #UAC #UkraineAccountabilityConference