Category Archives: African Union (AU)

The epidemic of coups exposes political fragility in Africa, but military rules aren’t the answer

Posted on March 9, 2022 by Mark Kersten

The following is a guest-post by Olusegun Akinfenwa, a correspondent for Immigration Advice Service. Olusegun’s work raises awareness about the harsh socio-political realities confronting African communities, with a view to bringing lasting solutions to them. The recent wave of coups in … Continue reading →

Posted in African Union (AU), Chad, Coups, Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Sudan | Tagged | 1 Comment

A Special Declaration: Towards a Culture of Accountability in The Gambia?

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Mark Kersten

Tetevi Davi joins JiC for this post on The Gambia’s recent decision to permit individuals and NGOs direct access to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights – and its implications. Tetevi is a visiting Lincoln’s Inn scholar at the European … Continue reading →

Posted in African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, African Union (AU), Gambia, Guest Posts | Tagged | 6 Comments

Policy Paper Alert: “Building Bridges and Reaching Compromise: Constructive Engagement in the Africa-ICC Relationship”

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Mark Kersten

Dear JiC readers, I am thrilled to announce the publication of a policy paper entitled “Building Bridges and Reaching Compromise — Constructive Engagement in the Africa-ICC Relationship” that I have authored with contributions from colleagues at the Wayamo Foundation, where I … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), Amnesty, Article 16, Assembly of States Parties, ICC Prosecutor, International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Peace Negotiations, Peace Processes, Peacebuilding, Policy Papers, UN Security Council, Wayamo Foundation | 1 Comment

The Trial of Hissène Habré and What it Could Mean for Justice in Africa

Posted on March 27, 2018 by Mark Kersten

Celeste Hicks joins JiC for this post exploring the trial of Hissène Habré and what it could mean for future justice and accountability efforts in Africa. Celeste is a freelance journalist focusing on Africa and the Sahel. She was a BBC correspondent … Continue reading →

Posted in African Union (AU), Chad, Chambres Africaines Extraordinaires (CAE), Gambia, Guest Posts, Hissène Habré, Senegal, Yahya Jammeh | 1 Comment

Negotiated Engagement — The African Union, the International Criminal Court, and Head of State Immunity

Posted on March 5, 2018 by Mark Kersten

At the thirtieth summit of the African Union (AU) last month, African states took a bold decision. They agreed to ask the United Nations General Assembly to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), ICC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Omar al-Bashir | 6 Comments

Good Politics or Bad Law? The International Criminal Court, Bashir, and South Africa

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Mark Kersten

It came as quite the surprise. To be sure, observers of South Africa’s relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC) fully expected that the Court’s Judges would eventually find that Pretoria had failed to cooperate in arresting and surrendering Sudanese … Continue reading →

Posted in African Union (AU), Darfur, International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Omar al-Bashir, South Africa, Sudan | 1 Comment

How Three Words Could Change the ICC-Africa Relationship

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Mark Kersten

Much of the fraught relationship between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and African states hinges on perceptions and misperceptions of the Court’s role on the continent. There are so many conflicting narratives of the ICC’s impact in Africa, so many … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, South Africa, UN Security Council | 4 Comments

The Hybrid Court for South Sudan? Looking for a Way Forward (Part 2)

Posted on February 28, 2017 by Mark Kersten

Patryk I. Labuda joins JiC for this second piece of a two-part series on the ongoing political and legal challenges facing the creation of the proposed hybrid tribunal for South Sudan. The first part can be read here. In the first post, I considered a number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), Guest Posts, Hybrid Court for South Sudan, Hybrid Tribunals, South Sudan | Leave a comment

Re-Setting the Clock – South African Court Rules ICC Withdrawal Unconstitutional

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Mark Kersten

For proponents of the rule of law, today’s ruling that the South African government’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) was unconstitutional is a major victory. Set aside opinions on membership in the ICC itself; the decision by the High Court in Pretoria defended something … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, International Law, South Africa | 5 Comments

Not All it’s Cracked Up to Be – The African Union’s “ICC Withdrawal Strategy”

Posted on February 6, 2017 by Mark Kersten

I want to make something clear from the outset: what follows is not a defence of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Seriously. It may sound like one or be interpreted as one, but it is not one. What follows is an attempt … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Nigeria | 2 Comments