The implications of African states withdrawing from the ICC

Date: 2013-10-10

Time: 11:00 to 13:00

Venue: Conference Room , ISS Pretoria

RSVP: Monique de Graaff
Phone: +27 12 346 9500 ext. 225
Email: [email protected]

On 11 and 12 October the AU will discuss whether African ICC states should withdraw from the International Criminal Court’s Rome Statute. This follows an AU decision in May 2013 calling for a ‘referral’ of the ICC’s Kenya cases to a national mechanism in that country. It also reflects the long-standing resistance to the ICC by African leaders and the AU because the court is believed to be targeting Africa. This position gained new traction when the Kenyan Parliament voted on 5 September to withdraw from the Rome Statute and ‘to suspend any links, cooperation and assistance’ with the ICC.

The impact of these developments for international criminal justice, and especially the victims of grave crimes in Africa, are dire. This seminar will explore the political and legal implications of the possible withdrawal by African states parties. It will also offer recommendations for how the international justice project in Africa may be continued under these circumstances.

Speaker: Sivu Maqungo, Senior Research Consultant, ISS

Chair: Anton du Plessis, Deputy Executive Director and Head, Transnational Threats and International Crime Division, ISS Pretoria

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