and 30th Annual Parliamentary Forum

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Under the leadership of Dip. Minou Tavarez Mirabal, Board Member of PGA, and the multi-party group of PGA in the Dominican Congress led by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Dip. Julio Cesar Valentin and the Speaker of the Senate Sen. Reinaldo Pared Perez, the National Congress of the Dominican Republic and Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) organised the 30th Annual Forum of PGA on "Strengthening Democratic Institutions, Accountability and the Rule of Law" and the 5th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Rule of Law in Santo Domingo on 30 and 31 October 2008.

More than 150 Lawmakers from 70 countries drawn from all regions of the world discussed and debated the most serious political challenges to the universality and effectiveness of the Rome Statute system, which is based on the complementary jurisdiction of domestic Courts of States Parties to the Rome Statute and of the ICC, the first permanent international Tribunal with jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The 5th Consultative Assembly ended with the adoption of a Plan of Action that calls for the ratification of the ICC Statute by all States, the enactment of effective national legislation to implement its provisions, and increased international political support for the effective operation of the Court, including the enforcement of pending Arrest Warrants issued by the Hague-based Court.

Prompted by the multi-party parliamentary delegation of the PGA DR Congo National Group, the Consultative Assembly also adopted a strong statement on the deteriorating situation in the DRC, in which participating MPs called for immediate and decisive action by the international community to protect the civilian populations and peace and security in North-Kivu and in the North-Eastern part of the country, including by means of deployment of adequate and well-equipped troops and through the reaffirmation of the principles of the Rule of Law and the fight against impunity.

The V Session of the Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the ICC and the Rule of Law was supported by the European Commission (EU), the Governments of Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the Municipality of The Hague and the generous contribution of both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic.