On Wednesday 6 December 2023, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Piotr Hofmański, met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, at the seat of the United Nations in New York. The meeting took place in the margins of the 22nd Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, the Court’s founding treaty.

During the meeting, President Hofmański conveyed to the Secretary-General his deep sense of gratitude for the strong support and cooperation of the United Nations, which is particularly important as the Court is facing pressures and attacks on account of its independent work in addressing the most serious crimes under international law. Secretary-General Guterres expressed his strong support for the Court as a fundamental tool of accountability and assured President Hofmański that the cooperation of the United Nations will continue, in line with the Relationship Agreement between the United Nations and the Court and with full respect for the Court’s independence. The discussion also touched upon the importance of strengthening the capacity of national jurisdictions to investigate and adjudicate core international crimes in accordance with the principle of complementarity enshrined in the Rome Statute.