Mr. President,
My delegation thanks the President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for his report providing a summary of the Court’s extensive judicial activities over the reporting period. We also take note of the Secretary-General’s Report on his Trust Fund to assist States in the Settlement of disputes through ICJ.
We underscore the importance of upholding ICJ’s standing as the principal judicial organ of the UN, and of making enhanced use of its competence to de-escalate tension and prevent conflicts among Member States. We reaffirm the universal character of the Court’s jurisdiction. We remain mindful of the General Assembly’s call upon Member States to accept the Court’s jurisdiction in accordance with its Statute. We would also like to emphasize that cooperation from the Member States, including those related to specific proceedings, in the implementation of Court’s Judgments and Orders remain absolutely critical.
We wish to take this opportunity to felicitate the ICJ for its crucial role in promoting the pacific settlement of international disputes, upholding the rule of law at the international level and thus, contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security, as stipulated by the UN Charter.
With our precedent in resolving outstanding maritime boundary delimitation issues with our neighbouring countries through legal and peaceful means, we continue to follow with interest the Court’s work on territorial and maritime disputes as well as conservation of natural and living resources.
Mr. President,
As a nation with an unequivocal commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes, including through recourse to international law, Bangladesh immensely values ICJ’s judgments and orders. As the Assembly is kindly aware, Bangladesh is currently hosting more than 1.1 million Rohingya minorities who fled atrocities in Myanmar. In this regard a legal proceeding has been initiated at the ICJ by The Gambia against Myanmar under the 1948 Genocide Convention, calling for protection of Rohingya population from genocide.
On 23rd January 2020, the Court has issued an Order indicating provisional measures against Myanmar. The Order concluded that the Court has prima facie jurisdiction to deal with the case. It also found that the Rohingya in Myanmar appeared to constitute a “protected group” within the meaning of article 2 of the Genocide Convention, and that there was a real and imminent risk of irreparable prejudice to the rights of the Rohingya in Myanmar. As an affected country, Bangladesh welcomes the Order of the Court and urges Myanmar to fully implement the provisional measures.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, Bangladesh would continue to encourage the Court to give due consideration to developing country candidates as part of its internship and university trainee programmes.
I thank you.