Africa: Security Council Weighs Future of UN War Crimes Mechanism As Closure Nears

Africa: Security Council Weighs Future of UN War Crimes Mechanism As Closure Nears

The Security Council on Friday weighed the future of the UN mechanism responsible for completing the remaining work of the international tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, as members debated how to preserve its legacy while bringing its mandate to an orderly close.

US Backs Wind-Down of UN Criminal Tribunal Mechanism Mandates, Seeks Clarity on Retained Judicial Functions

NEW YORK, June 15, 2026 — The United States has voiced support for winding down key mandates of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (Mechanism), while requesting additional information regarding the potential retention of certain judicial functions. In remarks delivered to a UN Security Council briefing on June 12, U.S. Representative for U.N. Management and