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South Sudan’s transition to democratic governance through a highly anticipated, first-ever post-independence general election has to wait once again for another two years. Despite this latest extension, the country has achieved notable milestones in its transitional justice process.

On December 2 to 6, 2024, the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Assembly of States Parties—the court’s management oversight and legislative body—held its 23rd session in The Hague. As in previous years, ICTJ took an active part, and its experts joined many of the discussions sharing their knowledge and insight. ICTJ organized two side events, one focusing on Syrian victims and another on reparations for victims in Northern Uganda.

ICTJ accompanied more than 10 Sudanese victim stakeholders to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague to attend the closing statements in the case of The Prosecutor v. Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman ("Ali Kushayb"). The statements took place on December 11 to 13. ICTJ supported the ICC in the selection of the stakeholders, who were chosen for their strong ties with affected communities.

In countries where state institutions have limited reach, customary and informal justice is often the most common way in which people resolve disputes and seek justice. Given its prominence, it is considered to be an important element of a people-centered approach to building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. An understanding of the relationship between customary justice and transitional justice, however, remains underdeveloped. A new ICTJ report provides valuable empirical, qualitative research on the topic, in the context of South Sudan.

On August 13, 2024, the International Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda delivered its long-awaited verdict in the case of Uganda versus Thomas Kwoyelo, a former commander and colonel in the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army. Mr. Kwoyelo was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other serious crimes committed during the decades-long armed conflict in Northern Uganda between the LRA and the Ugandan government. This judgment represents a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice and accountability and a crucial step toward acknowledging the suffering of the victims of these horrific mass atrocities.

Almost eight years since The Gambia's former President Yahya Jammeh left power, the country is still seeking justice for the human rights abuses committed during his 22-year dictatorship. In May 2023, the Ministry of Justice released a plan to implement the recommendations of the country's Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission. While the plan promises to deliver justice and repair harms, for it to have its intended impact, it requires broad public participation in the process, especially that of young people. With that in mind, ICTJ has partnered with the UN Peacebuilding Fund on a project to encourage Gambian youth to take a leading role in this process and the country's future.

Throughout 2023, ICTJ’s experts have offered their unique perspective on breaking news around the globe as part of the World Report. Their insightful commentaries have brought into focus the impact these events have on victims of human right violations as well as larger struggles for peace and justice. In this edition, we look back on the past year through the Expert’s Choice column.

On October 25, the African Union (AU) and European Union officially launched their joint Initiative for Transitional Justice in Africa (ITJA) in Addis Ababa. The project will take place over a three-year period and will promote national transitional justice processes in Africa, in line with the AU Transitional Justice Policy and its roadmap. The ITJA has several unique features that, if embraced and advanced by all actors, have the potential to trailblaze a new and inspiring path to peace, justice, and sustainable development on the African continent.

The African Union and the European Union have officially launched a three-year project to support AU member states as they incorporate the African Union Transitional Justice Policy and undertake transitional justice processes at the national level. The project, named the Initiative for Transitional Justice in Africa, will be implemented by a consortium of three organizations led by the International Center for Transitional Justice, the African Transitional Justice Legacy Fund, and the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.