Key Developments
On 9 October 2026, HM Government said foreign ministers from 8 countries reaffirmed support for the International Criminal Court and expressed concern that potential U.S. sanctions could affect the Court’s operations.
Key Statistics
- 8 foreign ministers joined the statement supporting the International Criminal Court
- £140,000 was cited by HM Government as a UK contribution to the UN Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law
Main Body
On 9 October 2026, HM Government published a joint statement in which the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom reaffirmed support for the International Criminal Court. The statement said the ministers regretted potential U.S. sanctions that could affect the Court’s work.
HM Government said the ministers presented the ICC as an institution central to international justice and accountability. The statement framed support for the Court as a shared position among the 8 governments and focused on the operational risk that sanctions could pose to the Court’s ability to function.
The statement followed a related UK legal policy message at the United Nations. On 8 October 2026, HM Government told the UN Sixth Committee that the rule of law supported peace, security and economic growth, and reaffirmed UK backing for multilateral legal cooperation, international law and accountability for human rights violations.
The development mattered because HM Government linked support for the ICC to the practical functioning of international accountability mechanisms. In diplomatic terms, the statement showed coordination among the 8 governments at a time when HM Government had separately emphasized that legal institutions and rules-based cooperation were part of wider security and governance policy.
