14-15.XII.2009: «La justice transitionnelle comme instrument de transition démocratique»

International seminar «La justice transitionnelle comme instrument de transition démocratique»
Venice-Lido, 14 - 15 December 2009
 
On 14 December 2009 the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, in cooperation with the Al Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center (KADEM), inaugurated the international seminar titled “La justice transitionnelle comme instrument de transition démocratique”.

The seminar was the third of a series of initiatives developed by GTZ and EIUC since 2007 aimed at facilitating exchange and networking between national institutions and civil society on the topic of Good Governance in the Maghreb region.
Participating in the seminar were 36 among academics, experts, representatives of civil society from Maghreb (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania) and European countries convened to exchange good practices on transitional justice processes in the region and share ideas for future developments.

The seminar was opened on Monday 14 December by the organising institutions (Prof. Florence Benoit-Rohmer for EIUC, Susanne Jacobi for GTZ, Amine Ghali for KADEM) and offered in the first session the key-notes of Prof. William Schabas (National University of Ireland, Galway – member of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission) and Prof. Habib Balkouch (Director of the Centre d’Etudes en Droits Humains et Démocratie, Rabat).

The programme proceeded with a session dedicated to presentations on the specific  transitional justice experiences of Morocco (Mr Mohamed Mhaifid, member of the national council of the “Organisation Marocaine des Droits Humains”), of Algeria (Mr Mansour Kedidir, Senior magistrate and researcher), of Mauritania (Prof. Mohamed Lemine Ould El Kettab, president of the “Club des Intellectuels Mauritaniens pour la Democratie”), of Tunisia and Lybia (Mr Chawki Tbib, honorary president of  the “Organisation Arabe des jeunes Avocats”) and on comparative experiences as those of Sierra Leone (Prof. William Schabas), South Africa and Kenia (Dr. Godfrey Musila, International Crime in Africa Program - Institute for Security Studies, University of Pretoria).

The further sessions of Tuesday 15 finally included presentations provided by experts on specific cross cutting issues: on the role of civil society in transitional justice processes (Dr. Godfrey Musila), on the importance of transitional justice for transition to democracy (Mr. Mohsen Marzouk – Secretary General of the Arab Democracy Foundation), on the links between transitional justice and reforms of the judiciary / security systems (Mr. Jens Deppe – GTZ), on gender justice (Adila abu Sharaf of ADFB and Valerie Masumbuko, E.MA student and consultant on gender issues).

For more information please find enclosed the complete programme (French).