The hague: The Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced that it is actively collaborating with international partners to ensure the arrest of Joseph Kony, the fugitive Ugandan warlord and leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), so he can be brought to trial for his crimes committed in northern Uganda. According to Nam News Network, Leonie von Braun, a trial lawyer on the Kony case, reassured victims during a virtual media briefing from The Hague that the ICC remains steadfast in its pursuit of Kony's capture despite numerous setbacks. "We are working with our partners to have him arrested and surrendered, but until that time, the next steps will not materialize," von Braun stated, urging the international community and victims not to lose hope. Von Braun did not disclose the identities of the partners aiding the search for Kony, citing the need for confidentiality due to security concerns. "I cannot share details with you about who our partners are or what informa tion we are sharing. It's too sensitive and too risky to share this type of information in the public domain," she explained. Her comments followed the recent decision by the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber III to confirm all 39 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity against Kony, marking the first occasion in the court's history where charges have been confirmed against a suspect in absentia. Dahirou Santa-Anna, the ICC's International Cooperation Adviser, highlighted the historic nature of this decision, noting that it is unprecedented for the ICC to confirm charges in the absence of the accused. Von Braun emphasized that Kony's ability to evade capture is partly due to his movements across territories not affiliated with the Rome Statute, which complicates cooperation for his arrest. "He has been operating in territories where members of the Rome Statute are not present, making it difficult for them to cooperate in his arrest," she said, adding that the ICC relies on partners for the apprehension and surrender of fugitives. Kony is believed to be hiding in the remote jungles of the Central African Republic. Despite the confirmation of charges, the ICC cannot proceed to trial without Kony's physical presence. Braun noted that if Kony is captured and brought to The Hague, the court could then advance to the trial phase. The confirmed charges against Kony include crimes against humanity-such as murder, enslavement, torture, forced marriage, rape, sexual slavery, persecution, and forced pregnancy-and multiple war crimes, including attacks on civilians, pillaging, and the conscription of children. Kony is also accused of orchestrating systematic attacks on schools and internally displaced persons camps and facilitating the widespread abductions of children and women into the LRA.