Uganda, DRC Agree to Postpone Hearing of $10bn Reparations Case

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has postponed public hearings in the 14-year-old case in which it ordered Uganda to pay the Democratic Republic of Congo $10 billion, a figure Uganda has contested.

ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, said in a statement that it “decided to postpone the public hearings on the question of reparations in the case concerning Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda), which had been due to take place between Monday 18 and Friday 22 November 2019.”

The Court said its decision took into consideration the “joint request submitted by the Parties by a letter dated 9 November 2019.”

The DRC filed its application to the ICJ in June 1999, alleging that acts of armed aggression carried out by Uganda on DRC territory constituted a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and the Charter of the Organization of African Unity.

The Court held that the armed activities of Uganda in the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC between August 1998 and June 2003 violated the international prohibition against aggressive use of force as well as international human rights and international humanitarian law. 

The Court ruled in favor of Uganda on its counter-claim that the DRC violated obligations owed to Uganda under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The Court ordered Uganda to pay reparations to the DRC amounting to $10bn.

But Uganda contested the figure, saying it was excessive and that the government was never given a chance to defend itself against the claims.

The ICJ urged Uganda and DRC to meet and come up with a figure that is agreeable to both because Kampala protested the claims.

Since 2014, both two countries have been holding talks to resolve the dispute.

The court’s decision came after DRC President  Felix Tshisekedi met with his Ugandan counterpart in Kampala.

The duo agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and implement joint infrastructure projects.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945.

The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations.

The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands). The Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States (its judgments have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned); and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system.