TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 03-415 

________________________________________________________________________ 

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT 

Article 98 

 Agreement between the 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

and GABON 

Effected by Exchange of Notes at Libreville 

February 26 and April 15, 2003 

 
 NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

 Pursuant to Public Law 89—497, approved July 8, 1966 

(80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)—

“. . .the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued 

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent 

 evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than 

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and 

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of maritime 

jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices of the 

United States, and of the several States, without any further proof 

or authentication thereof.” 
 GABON 

 International Criminal Court: Article 98 

 Agreement effected by exchange of notes at Libreville 

 February 26 and April 15, 2003; 

 Entered into force April 15, 2003. 
E I EASSY OF THE

UNI1EG STATES OF AME !CA

No. 017

The Embassy of the United States of America presents its

compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the

Republic of Gabon, and refers to recent discussions between

representatives of the Government of the United States of America

and the Government of the Republic of Gabon regarding the surrender

of persons to the International Criminal Court.

• Reaffirming the importance of bringing to justice those who

commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes,

• Recalling that the Rome Statute of the International Criminal

Court done at Rome on July 17, 1998 by the United Nations

Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment

of an International Criminal Court is intended to complement and

not supplant national criminal jurisdiction,

• Considering that the Government of the United States of America

and the Government of the Republic of Gabon have each

expressed their intention to investigate and to prosecute where

appropriate acts within the jurisdiction of the International

Criminal Court alleged to have been committed by their officials,

employees, military personnel or other nationals,

• Bearing in mind Article 98 of the Rome Statute,

• The Embassy proposes the following agreement:

1. For purposes of this agreement, "persons" are current or

former Government officials, employees (including

contractors), or military personnel or nationals of one Party.

2. Persons of one Party present in the territory of the other

shall not, absent the express consent of the first Party,

(a) be surrendered or transferred by any means to the

International Criminal Court for any purpose, or

(b) be surrendered or transferred by any means to any

other entity or third country, or expelled to a third

country, for the purpose of surrender to or transfer to

the International Criminal Court.

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SECRETARIAT GE

DIVISION DES TRAIT-

.

N° 1 1 2 7 /MAECF/SG/DT

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MINISTERE DES AFFAtRES ETRANGERES REPUBLIQUE GABONAISE

DE LA COOPERATION ET Union-Travail-Tustice

DE LA FRANCOPHONrE

Le Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres, de La Cooperation et de la

Francophonie presente ses compliments a l'Ambassade des Etats-Unis

d'Amórique pres la Republique gabonaise et a l'honneur d'accuser reception de

sa note verbale n° 17 du 26 février 2003, relative au projet d'Accord bilateral sur

la remise des personnes a la Cour penale internationale entre la Republique

gabonaise et les Etats-Unis d'Amerique.

A set effet, le Ministers des Affaires Etrangares, de la Cooperation

et de La Francophonie, ayant en esprit le Statut de Rome portant creation de la

Cow penale internationale, exprime son consentement a etre lie par les

dispositions proposees par 1'Ambassade des Etats-Unis d'Amerique dont le

contenu est le suivant

1- Pour les besoins du present Accord, le tame de « personnes » a

trait aux fonctionnaire• s et employes gauvernementaux (y compris

les sous-traitants), an personnel n:ulitaire ou aux ressortissants,

presents ou passes, de l'une des Parties.

2- Les personnes relevant de l'une des Parties et qui soot presentes sur

le territoire de l'autre Partie ne seront pas, sans le consentement

expres de la premiere Pattie :

(a) etre livrees ou transferees, de quelque maniere que ce suit,

la Cour penale intemationale, quelle qu'en suit la raison,

(b) ni etre livrees ou transferees, de quelque maniere que ce soit,

a toute autre =lite ou pays tiers, ou expulsees vers un pays

tiers, dans le but d'être livrees a, ou transferees vers la Cow

penale internationale.

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2/

3- Lorsque les Etats-Unis extradent, liwent ou autrement transierent

a un pays tiers, une personne du Gabon, ils in'accepteront pas la livraison ou le

transfert de cette personae a la Cour pe:nale internationale par ce pays tiers sans

le consentement exprOs du Gouvernement gabonais.

4- Lorsque le gouvernement de la Republique gabonaise extrade,

livre ou autrement transfere a un pays tiers, une personne des Etats-Unis

d'Amórique, ledit Gouvemement n'acceptera pas la livraison, ou le transfert de

cette person= a la Cow penale intemationale par ce pays tiers sans le

consentement expres du Gouvernement des Etats-Unis

5- Le present Accord restera en vigueur une annee pleine apres la

date a laquelle 1'une des Parties notifie a l'autre son intention de le denoncer.

Les dispositions du prOsent Accord continueront a s'appliquer vis-a-vis de tout

acte qui se produirait, ou de toute allegation qui serait soulevee avant la date

effective de sa terrninaison.

Lc Ministhre confirme a I'Ambassade des Etats-Unis que la

presente note, ainsi que cello de l'Asnbassade ci-dessus referencee, constituent

un Accord bilateral entre le gouvernement de la Republique gabonaise et le

Gouvernement des Etats Unis d'Amerique qui entrera en vigueur a la date de la

presente note.

Le Ministere des Affaires Etrang6res, de la Cooperation et de la

Francophonie saisit cette occasion pour renouveler a l'Arabassade des EtatsUnis d'Amerique, l'assurance de sa haute considerati

Ritti

AMBASSADE DES ETATS-UNIS

D'AMERIQUE

LIBREVILLE 

Librevific,14*::.
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UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION

The Ministry of foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophony presents

its compliments to the Embassy of the United States of America to the Republic

of Gabon and has the honour to acknowledge receipt of its Verbal Note N° 17

dated 26 th of February 2003, relating to the draft bilateral agreement on the

surrender of persons to the International Criminal Court between Republic of

Gabon and the United States of America_

Thus, the Ministry of foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophony,

bearing in mind the Rome Statute on the establishment of the International

Criminal Court, expresses its agreement to be bound by the following provisions

suggested by the Embassy of the United States of America:

1.For purposes of this agreement, " persons" are current or former

Government officials, employees (including contractors), or military personnel

or nationals of one Party.

2. Persons of one Party present in the territory of the other shall

not, absent the express consent of the first Party,

(a) be surrendered or transferred by any means to the International

Criminal Court for any purpose, or

(b) be surrendered or transferred by any means to any other entity

or third country, or expelled to a third country, for the purpose of surrender to or

transfer to the International Criminal Court.

3_ When the United States extradites, surrenders, or otherwise

transfers a person of Gabon to a third country, the United States Will not agree

to the surrender or transfer of that person to the International Criminal Court by

the third country, absent the express consent of the Government of the Republic

of Gabon.

4. When the Government of the Republic of Gabon extradites,

surrenders, or otherwise transfers a person of the United States of America to a

third country, the Government of the Republic of Gabon will not agree to the
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surrender or transfer of that person to the International Criminal Coun by a third

country, absent the express consent of the Government of the United States.

5. This Agreement shall remain in force until one year after the date

on which one Party notifies the other of its intent to terminate this agreement.

The provisions of this Agreement shall continue to apply with respect to any act

occurring, or any allegation arising, before the effective date of termination.

The Ministry confirms to the Embassy of the United States that this Note

as well as that the Embassy refereed to above represent. a bilateral agreement

between the Government of the Republic of Gabon and the Government of the

United States of America entering into force at the date of this Note.

Libreville

EMBASSY OF UNITED STATES

OF AMERICA

LIBREVILLE