Lord (Tariq) Ahmad has announced today the UK’s voluntary contribution of £300,000 to the International Criminal Court’s Special Fund for Security, making it the second-highest contribution
to date.
In response to a major cyber-attack against the International Criminal Court (ICC) in September 2023, significant improvements are urgently needed in the ICC’s cybersecurity framework to prevent future attacks. To bolster the ICC’s cybersecurity defenses, Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler established the Special Fund for Security and called for contributions from States. This fund is designated to provide dedicated resources to enhance digital and physical security at the ICC.
Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, UK Minister of State for the Commonwealth and the United Nations, met with Registrar Zavala Giler in London today to announce the UK’s voluntary contribution of £300,000 to the Court’s Special Fund for Security. This contribution, funded through the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office’s Global Cyber Programme, marks the fifth donation from a State and ranks as the third-highest contribution to the Fund to date. The UK’s support underscores its commitment to the ICC’s mission and its resilience in the face of attempts to undermine its work.
Lord (Tariq) Ahmad emphasized that “cybersecurity is a shared challenge for those protecting and upholding the international rules-based system.” The UK, as a staunch supporter of the international rules-based system, has consistently backed the ICC, including through annual contributions to its budget and donations to various Trust Funds. In 2023, the UK contributed £1 million to the Trust Fund for Technological Innovation, £430,000 to the Trust Fund for Victims, and £20,000 to the Trust Fund for Family Visits. Additionally, the UK has provided specialized training to enhance the skills of ICC investigators, particularly in Open-Source Information gathering and information analysis.
Through its contribution, the UK aims to bolster the ICC’s cybersecurity posture and ensure its continued effective operation in an increasingly challenging digital landscape. Photo by justflix, Wikimedia commons.