ARUSHA - The United Nation Security Council has extended the Terms of Office for judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

A press statement from ICTR, in Arusha, said that the Security Council agreed to extend the mandates of all permanent and nine ad litem judges until December, 31, 2011 or on completion of their assignments.

The Terms of Office of the two permanent judges who are members of the Appeals Chamber were extended until December 31, 2012 or until the completion of their cases to which they are assigned, if sooner.

The permanent Judges of the Trial Chambers whose Terms of Office have been extended are Charles Michael, Dennis Byron, (Saint Kitts and Nevis), Khalida Rachid Khan (Pakistan) and Arlette Ramaroson (Madagascar).

Others are William H. Sekule (Tanzania and Bakhtiyar Tuzmukhamedov (Russian Federation).

The ad litem Judges include Aydin Sefa Akay (Turkey), Florence Rita Arrey (Cameroon) and Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda).

Others are Vagn Joensen (Denmark),Gberdao Gustave Kam (Burkina Faso), Lee Gacuiga Muthoga (Kenya), Seon Ki Park (Republic of Korea), Mparany Mamy Richard Rajohnson (Madagascar) and Emile Francis Short (Ghana).

The Council  further  called  upon  relevant  UN  bodies  to work with the Tribunal  to  find  solutions  to  address the problems of staff retention.

Staffing constraints, as highlighted by President Judge Byron in his last report to the  Security   Council,  are  the  major  obstacle  for  the  successful implementation of the Completion Strategy.

The Council  took    note of the concerns raised by the ICTR President regarding  the  report  of  the  Prosecutor  on  the  lack of cooperation  of  Kenya  in the case of fugitive Félicien Kabuga, as well as the  statement  and pledge made by Kenya at the Security Council meeting of 18 June 2010.

The Council in particular called upon relevant states to  increase  their  efforts  to  bring  Félicien  Kabuga, Augustin Bizimana,  Protais  Mpiranya  and  other  indictees  of  the  International Tribunal to justice.

Ends