UN General Assembly
2014

Botswana’s commitment to an effective international criminal justice system remains steadfast. To that end, we continue to support the independence and credibility of the ICC as the only existing international judicial mechanism available for the investigation and prosecution of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. However, the role of the Security Council in facilitating the work of the ICC cannot be over-emphasized. It is our sincere hope that, going forward, reason and basic human compassion will prevail in Council decisions aimed at eliminating threats to international peace and security and at fostering a global culture of judicial accountability, inclusive governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights. In that regard, Botswana welcomes the French initiative regarding voluntary restraint on the use of the veto by the permanent members of the Security Council in situations of mass atrocities. Botswana also commends those countries, human rights defenders and humanitarian organizations that have valiantly contributed to efforts to relieve human suffering wherever it occurred around the world. We especially applaud Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon