Photo: Stuart Price/AU/UN IST photo

CONCEPT NOTE

Exploring links between Core International

Crimes and Transnational Organised Crimes
27 28 October 2015 (with a welcome dinner on 26 October)
Venue: Gaborone, Botswana
15 September 2015 | Berlin, Germany

Objective:
The objective of the symposium
is to establish linkages between
organised crime and core international crimes, to identify and analyse points of convergence, and
to draw conclusions for a better
coordinated investigation and prosecution of these crimes.
Background:
The jurisdiction of the ICC is limited to core international crimes but
nearly all of the courts investigations are currently confronted with
two sets of crimes (i.e. international
and transnational organised crimes). The meeting in Botswana will

Author: Bettina Ambach

look into the question of what the

symbiosis of these crimes means
for international investigations and
prosecutions and if new ways of
collaboration on the international
with the national level are possible.
The two sets of crimes to be analysed are the core international
crimes (crimes against humanity,
war crimes and genocide) and
transnational crimes, such as organised crime, arms trafficking,
terrorism, cybercrime, human trafficking, piracy, money-laundering,
and counterfeiting, with a special
focus on the increasing incidences
of wildlife crimes.
Wildlife

crimes

are

becoming

more complex and are beginning

to intersect with crimes of interest
to international criminal law due
to smuggling networks, funding for
armed groups, etc. For example,
the ivory trade and poaching has
helped to fund armed groups in
the Congo as well as Joseph Konys Lords Resistance Army. Both of
these non-state groups have
leaders indicted by the International Criminal Court.
Welcome Dinner:
On 26 October 2015, co-host
Athaliah Molokomme, Attorney General of the Republic of Botswana
will welcome participants with an
opening statement.

Wayamo Foundation
Prinzregentenstr.82 | 10717 Berlin | Germany
info@wayamo.com | www.wayamo.com

CON C E P T N OTE
Participants:

Topics:

Outcome:

The symposium will include national and international participants

from:

Introduction to International Criminal Law and Transnational Criminal

Law
Strengthening the Investigation
and Prosecution of Wildlife Trafficking
Focusing on links and overlaps
between these international and
transnational organised crimes:
Presentation of concrete examples
How can relevant parties combat
this new form of interconnected
criminality more effectively?
Are there any points in common in
the investigation and prosecution of
these two forms of serious crimes?
Modes of liability and prosecutorial
strategies: Could there be a combined prosecution strategy?
How to promote judicial cooperation instruments (Joint Investigation
Teams, confiscation of proceeds of
crime, effective financial investigations, use of videoconference)?
How to overcome the compartmentalisation of investigations?
How to incorporate crime analysis
in the work of intelligence analysts
and law enforcement officers?
How to share this information with
other countries?
Challenges of domestic judicial
systems in investigating and prosecuting international and transnational crimes.

The symposium will document

concrete examples of the intersection of transnational organised crime and core international
crimes. It will develop awareness of
its interactive relationship as well as
encourage cooperation between
states, courts and international
organisations. Solutions to use a
multidisciplinary approach in fighting crime will be discussed.

Botswanas investigation, prosecution and judiciary branches

International Criminal Court
INTERPOL
SADEC
UNODC
Southern African Regional Police
Chiefs Cooperation Organisation
(SARPCCO)
International Prosecutors, Institute
for Security Studies (Pretoria)
Commission for International
Justice and Accountability (CIJA)
Network for Investigation and
Prosecution of Genocide, Crimes
against Humanity and War Crimes
Eurojust
Europol
University of Kwazulu-Natal.

The deliberations of the meetings

will be summarised in the workshop
report with recommendations and
an action plan for the next steps to
be formulated therein.

Contact
Bettina Ambach
Director, Wayamo Foundation
Prinzregentenstr.82, 10717 Berlin, Germany
Tel. +49 30 81032821
bettina@bettinaambach.de
www.wayamo.com

With the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office