๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, convened a diplomatic briefing for the diplomatic and consular corps resident in the Republic of The Gambia whose countries are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Held at the Ministryโs Conference Room in Banjul, the meeting formed part of The Gambiaโs diplomatic outreach in support of the candidature of Honourable Justice Veronic Wright for election as a Judge of the International Criminal Court.
Chairing the meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Lang Yabou, welcomed members of the diplomatic corps and reaffirmed The Gambiaโs longstanding commitment to international justice, accountability, human rights and the rule of law. He underscored the intrinsic link between peace and justice, stressing that โyou cannot have peace without justice.โ Ambassador Yabou noted that The Gambiaโs nomination of Honourable Justice Veronic Wright reflects the countryโs unwavering commitment to strengthening the international justice system through qualified, principled and experienced judicial leadership.
The Permanent Secretary further emphasized that Justice Wrightโs distinguished career makes her exceptionally well-qualified to serve on the Bench of the International Criminal Court. He encouraged representatives of States Parties to lend their support to her candidature in the forthcoming election.
Participants were also briefed on the International Criminal Court judicial election process by Ms. Ida Persson of the Ministry of Justice, who provided an overview of the election and its significance within the framework of the Rome Statute.
The Director of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Mariam Khan-Jallow, presented Justice Wrightโs profile highlighting Justice Wright’s outstanding qualifications, over 35 years of distinguished legal and judicial service, and nearly 18 years of experience within the United Nations system. Mrs. Khan-Jallow underscored her extensive expertise in criminal law, international criminal justice, prosecutions, judicial service, legal reform and transitional justice, including her work with the ICTR, IRMCT, UNODC, UNOCT and UNITAD. She noted that Justice Wright’s experience, integrity and commitment to the rule of law make her an exceptionally qualified candidate whose election would further strengthen the International Criminal Court.
In her remarks, Honourable Justice Veronic Wright shared her vision for an independent, impartial and effective International Criminal Court rooted firmly in the principles of the Rome Statute. She reaffirmed her commitment to judicial independence, fairness, accountability, due process and the protection of the rights of victims and all parties before the Court. Drawing on more than three decades of professional experience, Justice Wright reflected on her service within The Gambiaโs justice sector, international criminal tribunals and United Nations accountability mechanisms, while outlining her priorities should she be elected to the Court.
The presentations were followed by an interactive discussion during which members of the diplomatic corps engaged Justice Wright and Government representatives on matters relating to the International Criminal Court, the forthcoming judicial elections and her candidature.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador Lang Yabou thanked members of the diplomatic and consular corps for their participation and continued engagement. He reiterated The Gambiaโs steadfast commitment to promoting international justice, human rights and accountability and expressed confidence that Justice Wrightโs qualifications, integrity and experience would enable her to make a valuable contribution to the work of the International Criminal Court.
The meeting forms part of The Gambiaโs broader diplomatic campaign to garner the support of States Parties for the election of Honourable Justice Veronic Wright as a Judge of the International Criminal Court.
