The 2005 Budget of the International Criminal Court: Contingency, Insufficient Funding in Key Areas and the Recurring Question of the Independence of the Prosecutor

Abstract

Faced with increasing expectations and demands on the new International Criminal Court, the process of preparing its budget for 2005 presented significant challenges to the Court, the Committee on Budget and Finance and the Assembly of States Parties. This article focuses on the major challenges and examines the decisions taken by the Assembly. In particular, it looks at budgetary matters relating to the independence of the Prosecutor and decisions that could undermine it. Furthermore, with planned progress towards the first trials it focuses on key areas of the Court's work, including outreach, victim protection and field presence, that are in danger of being compromised through under-investment.