Chad and Montenegro Join ICC

November 8, 2006 – Two geo-strategically important countries have announced their ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (CC), making them the newest state parties to the Court.

The Republic of Montenegro, newly independent after its secession from Serbia in May 2006, formally ratified the Rome Statute on October 23, 2006. Located in Southeastern Europe, Montenegro joins fifteen other Eastern European countries including Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Albania in becoming a member of the ICC.

Days after Montenegro’s ratification, the Muslim African country of Chad also formally ratified the Rome Statute, on November 1, 2006. Chad is the 19th member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the 29th African nation to join the ICC. Chad also borders Sudan, a non-member state that is suspected of committing genocide against its own civilians in its western province of Darfur. Many Darfurian refugees have fled to Chad, but cross-border attacks by Sudanese militiamen called the Janjaweed have plagued Chad’s border villages as well. Chad’s membership in the ICC will therefore play a significant role in the ICC’s investigation of the Darfur crisis, as well as obligate Chad to cooperate fully with the Court to bring the perpetrators of the crimes committed in Darfur to justice.

These latest ratifications push the total of ICC member states throughout the world to 104.

+Read Citizens for Global Solutions' Briefing Paper on Chad’s ratification and its impact on the ICC’s Darfur investigation