Case Concerning Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo: The ICJ Finds Uganda Acted Unlawfully and Orders Reparations

On December 19, 2005, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its final judgment in the Case Concerning Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Uganda). The Court held that the armed activities of Uganda in the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”) between August 1998 and June 2003 violated the international prohibition against aggressive use of force as well as international human rights and international humanitarian law. The Court ruled in favor of Uganda on its counter-claim that the DRC violated obligations owed to Uganda under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The Court ordered Uganda to pay reparations to the DRC.