The fight for independent prosecution continues - 2nd Global Forum for Associations 2016

For the second time, the prosecutors’ associations of the world came together. 179 delegates from five continents spent two days at the 2nd Global Forum for Associations of Prosecutors in Lisbon, Portugal focusing on the guarantees of independent prosecution and the role Associations can play.

For the second time, the prosecutors’ associations of the world came together to discuss shared concerns and issues. This 2nd Global Forum for Associations of Prosecutors, perfectly hosted by the SMMP, was set in beautiful Lisbon, Portugal on 31 May to 2 June 2016. SMMP, led by President António Ventinhas, and Secretary General José Albuquerque, and their team, created the perfect framework and programme for the 179 registered participants from Europe, Noth America, South America, Africa and Asia.

The 2nd Global Forum more than amble showed the need for a strong Associations forum. Widespread pressures on prosecution services each year, both financial and political, make the voices of the Associations vital to the advancement of professional prosecution services worldwide.

The purpose of this Forum was to bring together experiences and insights on how to guarantee the independent functioning of prosecution services and to explore the role of associations in this regard. Over the two-day professional programme, key challenges in securing the independent functioning of prosecution services and the role of associations were discussed in seven individual sessions. Important matters included the relevance of financial autonomy to secure institutional independence, the crucial role of securing prosecutors’ wage levels and the role that associations serve to this end, the organisational links between associations and the different hierarchical levels of prosecution services, the role of associations vis a vis the political powers and vis a vis the media. All these important matters were discussed and many recommendations were made by the speakers and from the floor.

Important outcomes included the suggested concrete principles of securing financial autonomy of prosecution services, the better understanding of the links between securing the rights of prosecutors and the fight against high-level corruption, and the need to ensure that independence concerns are connected with the advocacy for concerns for legal accountability of prosecution functions. Furthermore, based on the final session’s focus on how to continue the building of global network for associations, the participants came together in deciding to establish a group of persons to push forward this need for a global network with relevant contacts and platform to share resources. The special interest group meeting for associations during the Annual Meeting in Dublin will surely continue this pursuit.

The conference is also an important milestone in the IAP’s work to strengthen the independence of prosecution services worldwide. Confirmed by the executive committee in March 2016, one of the important goals of the IAP in 2016-2018 is to strengthen our efforts to identify the challenges to prosecutorial independence and to identify practical strategies and activities to meet these challenges. The conference was an important step in identifying many key challenges and to approach the possible solutions around which prosecution services around the world can come together. And of course, an indispensable step towards including the voice of associations in this work.

But most importantly, the conference ensured that association colleagues had two days together, in a great social atmosphere, making new connections, sharing and discussing experiences and strategies, and getting to know one-another. 

The IAP is determined to support the facilitation of the Global Forum of Associations of Prosecutors and to secure the needed voice of associations in our work. We look forward to the continuance at the Special Interest Group Meeting in Dublin in September and to the next, the 3rd, Global Forum in 2017.