The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Asad Ahmad Khan KC, will visit Ghana in October 2024, according to an official confirmation from his office.

Since assuming his role at the ICC on June 16, 2021, Khan has made visits to various jurisdictions including Venezuela, Ukraine, and the United States.

Khan, who succeeded Fatou Bensouda as the ICC Prosecutor, expressed his intent to visit the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law School during a discussion with Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Budu, Dean of GIMPA Law School and head of the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ).

During his visit, Khan will deliver the keynote address at the 2024 African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) Annual Eminent Public Lecture in International Criminal Justice.

The event will be held at GIMPA in Accra.

In addition to his lecture, Khan will engage with students from GIMPA's Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Criminal Law and Justice program in a special Q&A session.

GIMPA's International Criminal Law Summer School and ICC Visit

Earlier in 2024, GIMPA Law School, through the ACICJ, hosted a summer school on international criminal law in The Netherlands for its LL.M students and selected Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) students.

As part of the program, participants spent three days (from July 16 to July 18, 2024) at the ICC, attending lectures and engaging with ICC officials.

The lectures covered key aspects of the ICC’s judicial process, including the roles of the Pre-Trial, Trial, and Appeals Divisions.

The group also had a session with Judge Solome Balungi Bossa, a Ugandan judge on the ICC.

On the second day of their visit, the training focused on the Office of the Prosecutor, examining preliminary examinations, investigations, prosecution, and cooperation.

They also explored the work of the Office of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV), the Office of Public Counsel for Defence (OPCD), and the Trust Fund for Victims.

The group concluded their visit by attending a hearing in the case of Prosecutor v. Mahamat Said Abdel Kani, observed in ICC Courtroom II.

Profile of Karim Khan KC

Karim Khan KC has extensive expertise in public international law, international criminal law, human rights law, and international arbitration.

Prior to his appointment at the ICC, he worked as a Senior Crown Prosecutor, with the Law Commission of England & Wales, and in the Office of the Prosecutor at the UN International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

In 2018, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Khan as the First Special Adviser and Head of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/ISIL (UNITAD).

Khan was sworn in as Chief Prosecutor of the ICC on June 16, 2021, for a nine-year term.

ICC-ACICJ Partnership

In December 2019, the ICC and ACICJ formalized a partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.

This agreement aims to enhance cooperation between the two institutions in the fight against impunity in Africa.

It has facilitated the development of the LL.M - International Criminal Law and Justice program at GIMPA, the first of its kind in Ghana, and opened opportunities for students to participate in the ICC internship and visiting professionals programs.

The partnership also fosters the exchange of expertise and collaboration on lectures, seminars, research, and scholarship related to international criminal law and justice.

The African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ)

The ACICJ at GIMPA is dedicated to expanding knowledge on international criminal justice, with a focus on Africa’s role in this global framework.

The centre was established following the success of a 2016 conference on the ICC and Africa.

Since then, it has become a focal point for research, scholarship, and training on the ICC and broader international justice issues across the continent.

Through its work, the ACICJ continues to educate and promote accurate information on the ICC’s role in addressing global, regional, and national impunity.