13 August 2010, Male; Building on the momentum generated by this week’s swearing in of the Maldives’ first-ever permanent Supreme Court, and the related adoption of the Judges Act, the Government today announced details of partnership agreement with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) designed to support the judicial sector, strengthen the independence and capacity of the judiciary, and enhance public trust in the country’s courts of law.
The long-term partnership between the Maldives and the ICJ will be led, on the side of the ICJ, by Dr. Param Cumaraswamy and Dr. Leandro Despouy, two former United Nations Special Rapporteurs on the Independence of the Judiciary, and two of the world’s foremost experts on matters pertaining to the judicial sector and the separation and balance of powers between the judiciary and the other branches of government. The two former Special Rapporteurs will visit the Maldives from 13-18 September to discuss and agree on the terms of reference for the ICJ’s long-term engagement. In addition, the mission will also have a more immediate focus on providing advice to the Government and other actors, gathering information about the challenges to judicial independence and integrity, reporting back with findings and recommendations as well as benchmarks for monitoring progress, and engaging in follow up at national and international levels (UN, Commonwealth, etc.).
The ICJ will work with the Government on a sustainable basis to strengthen the judiciary and incorporate international standards into national law and practice. The ICJ and its Commissioners have long been involved in developing standards of judicial independence and integrity, such as the Bangalore Principles, and in incorporating these principles into domestic law.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, on announcing the news said: “The ICJ brings together the world’s foremost legal experts in human rights from across the globe. From its groundbreaking Declaration of Delhi in 1959 right up until the present day, the ICJ has always played a leading international role in giving shape to the rule of law. I am therefore delighted to be able to confirm our long-term partnership with them. This week the Maldives took important steps to increase the independence of and public trust in the country’s judiciary; however Rome wasn’t built in a day and it is important that we, as a country and as a government, think long-term. That is the aim of our cooperation with the ICJ”.
“I am furthermore delighted that the ICJ mission will be led by Dr. Cumaraswamy and Dr. Despouy, two men of the very highest international standing. Dr. Cumaraswamy was UN Special Rapporteur from 1994 to 2003, and has also held roles such as the chairman of the Human Rights Committee of the International Bar Association, President of the Law Association of Asia and the Pacific and Commissioner at the ICJ. Dr. Despouy was UN Special Rapporteur from 2003 to 2009 and prior to that was President of the UN Human Rights Commission. He is very well known to us in the Maldives having undertaken a highly successful mission here in 2007”.
ENDS.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Press Release Ref. No.: 2010/055.
