ARUSHA - The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, (ICTR) Hassan Bubucar Jallow, has said that sharing confidential information will do much in helping the tribunal fulfil its mandate.

Jallow was speaking recently during the signing ceremony of an agreement that will see the United Kingdom (UK) and the court share confidential and private information.

"We realise of course that the tribunal cannot do all the work within the mandate, we have to rely on member states to assist us in this respect.”

"We look forward to the rest of the friends of the ICTR signing such agreements,” the ICTR Chief Prosecutor said.

Jallow signed the agreement with UK High Commissioner to Tanzania, Diane Corner at a ceremony that brought together representatives of eight western countries under their group dubbed "Friends of ICTR”.

Emphasising how crucial the role of member states is in ensuring the tribunal’s success, Jallow said that the agreement had no financial obligations but that it would enable the UK "to use the information for its work”.

"We have to be prepared to share information we have so that they can do their own bit, and to set out conditions under which such information will be managed,” he added.

Following the signing ceremony, there have been media reports that the UK may request from the tribunal any information concerning Rwandans who are seeking political asylum or are subjects of legal proceedings in their host countries.

But the UK envoy expressed optimism that the agreement would enable the Arusha based tribunal to complete its work in good time and to fulfil its mandate.

During the same ceremony, Germany signed a $ 240,400 agreement with the tribunal to run a youth project which seeks to sensitise youths from the five East African countries on the work of the ICTR.  

The project, according to an ICTR release, involves organising an essay and drawing competition for students in Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya, as well as publishing a cartoon book on the causes of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

Other countries who form the Friends of ICTR’ group and were represented at the ceremony included; France, Belgium, Canada, Italy, Netherlands and the U.S.A.

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