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UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has scaled down his requests for money for a special war crimes tribunal for Sierra Leone, citing continued shortfalls in funds and pledges for the first three years of the court’s operation, the UN reported on Monday.
In a letter to the President of the Security Council, Annan said the UN Secretariat had received “indications of contributions” of US $15 million for the first year and $20 million in pledges for the second and third.
Annan said that in June, the Secretariat presented to interested countries revised estimates for the Court’s funding: some $57 million for its first three years of work, including about $16.8 million for the first year.
In October 2000, Annan proposed the setting up of a Special Court for Sierra Leone to judge persons deemed most responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and other violations of international humanitarian law. At the time, he vowed to establish the Court only after he had received contributions to pay for year one of its operation and enough in pledges to cover years two and three, estimated at US $30.2 million and US $84.4 million respectively.
“Accordingly, the Secretary-General says he intends to circulate a letter to countries that have made pledges, asking them to deposit contributions within 30 days for the Court’s first-year costs to a Trust Fund,” the UN reported.
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