Recognizing our obligation to help protect human rights and uphold the rule of law, we, the undersigned civil society organizations, appeal to African ICC States Parties to reaffirm their support for the ICC and their commitment to abide by their obligations under the Rome Statute, particularly in relation to the arrest and transfer of the President of Sudan to the ICC.

The  former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano will give his final briefing to the United Nations Security Council on July 15  in his role as the secretary-general's special envoy for the areas of east and central Africa affected by the Lord's Resistance Army and their  two-decade campaign of violence. Although Chissano's mandate was suspended as of June 30, abuses by the LRA - ruthless rebels whose actions have had a devastating effect on civilians in four countries - continue. 

United States President Barack Obama should use his visit to Ghana on July 10 and 11, 2009 to encourage its new president, John Atta Mills, to take a leadership position in Africa on issues of democracy and justice.

Human Rights Watch calls on the African Union High-Level Panel on Darfur to recommend that any peace agreement in Darfur addresses protection of civilians and the realization of human rights in Darfur, as well as real accountability for past crimes. However these issues should not wait for the signature of a peace agreement; the Panel should press the Sudan government and all parties to the conflict to urgently ensure both security and justice for the people of Darfur today.

The African Union should urge the United Nations Security Council to set up a commission of inquiry to document the worst human rights abuses in Somalia, an essential first step in creating justice and accountability.

In advance of their summit in Libya, Human Rights Watch writes to AU Heads of State to ask them to address a few of Africa's most pressing human rights concerns - security in Somalia, accountability for crimes in Chad, and support for the International Criminal Court.

The United Nations Security Council should make sure that its existing commitments to protect civilians during armed conflict are actually carried out.

Human Rights Watch urges Security Council ambassadors to use the open debate on June 26 to discuss ways in which the United Nations Security Council can more effectively ensure the protection of civilians in armed conflict.