The Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed to States Parties and other donors to increase contributions to support reparations for victims of former Lord’s Resistance Army commander Dominic Ongwen and former Congolese militia leader Bosco Ntaganda, saying current resources remain insufficient to meet the court’s reparations orders.
The appeal follows an additional €25,000 (about Shs106 million) unrestricted contribution from Italy, a State Party to the Rome Statute, to support the fund’s programmes for victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The fund is seeking to raise at least €10 million annually to finance court-ordered reparations and rehabilitation programmes, including the implementation of the landmark reparations programme for thousands of Ongwen’s victims in northern Uganda.
In 2024, the ICC approved a €52.4 million (about Shs218 billion) reparations programme for victims of Ongwen, who was convicted in 2021 on 61 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in northern Uganda between 2002 and 2005. The implementation of that programme depends largely on voluntary contributions mobilised by the Trust Fund.
Kevin Kelly, a member of the TFV Board of Directors, welcomed Italy’s latest contribution but urged other States Parties to increase their support. “Reparative justice forms an integral pillar of the Rome Statute. I applaud Italy’s contribution, which will assist in driving the work of the Trust Fund for Victims for the benefit of thousands of victims of international crimes. At the same time, I call upon other States Parties to continue increasing their contributions to the Fund,” Kelly said.
Italy’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Augusto Massari, said the contribution reflects his country’s continued commitment to international justice and accountability. “Victims are at the heart of the mission of the International Criminal Court. Ensuring assistance and reparations for them gives concrete meaning to the principles of justice, dignity and accountability that underpin the Rome Statute system,” Massari said.
He added that Italy renewed its voluntary contribution to reaffirm its longstanding support for both the ICC and victims affected by crimes under its jurisdiction. Italy has contributed voluntarily to the Trust Fund since 2013. The Trust Fund said voluntary contributions are essential to fulfilling its dual mandate of implementing ICC-ordered reparations and supporting rehabilitation programmes that address victims’ physical, psychological and material needs while helping affected communities recover.
According to the fund, contributions also qualify as Official Development Assistance and support several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including peace, justice and strong institutions, poverty reduction, good health, gender equality, decent work and reduced inequalities. It said sustained donor support will be critical to ensuring that victims in the Ongwen and Ntaganda cases receive the reparations and assistance ordered by the ICC-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
