In an unexpected development, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim A.A. Khan KC, has sought a bilateral meeting with President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Sierra Leone’s role in ICC matters and its non-permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council.
Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, conveyed this information via his official social media channels, emphasizing the importance of the request.
“The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested an opportunity to meet with President Julius Maada Bio to “discuss SierraLeone’s leadership about matters related to the ICC” and the country’s “tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council,” the Minister posted.
The request was initially brought to light through an unverified document circulating earlier this week. The document highlighted the ICC’s desire to hold the meeting during the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, scheduled to begin on September 19, 2023, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor expressed keen interest in the proposed meeting and stressed its significance in advancing mutual cooperation. The Prosecutor’s office has formally requested that a response be sent to their designated email address.
In response to the circulating document, the Sierra Leone government was quick to label it as fake and unsubstantiated. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold, as Sierra Leone’s leadership addresses this unexpected request from the ICC.