By: Ariela Blätter

Another first was on Monday when Chairman Wenaweser, current UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan kicked off the opening plenary. The Chairman reminded the delegates, that although state parties were here to 'amend' the Rome Statute, it was in fact a solid treaty that already guides the Court and does not need significant change.  This likely referred to his views on two main focuses of the Conference, the first being taking stock of the Court’s progress and the crime of aggression. The process of stocktaking essentially comprises a conversation among delegates and civil society about the Court and international justice, while the crime of aggression, which is technically contained in the Statute, needs text added to become operational.  In conclusion of his remarks, he made a pitch for states to pledge their commitment to giving money, time and/or resources to the ICC.

On Thursday, July 30, Kenyan cabinet members decided to keep all options open after discussing whether to form a local tribunal or to allow an international trial for those behind last year's post-election violence.

After incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was re-elected in December 2007, supporters of his opponent, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement, erupted in violence over the allegedly rigged election. Riots, mass looting, protests, and ethnic violence continued for months, with an estimated 1,500 people killed and more than 300,000 displaced.