Category Archives: African Union (AU)

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 | 3 Comments

What the ICC Can Do to Improve its Relationship with African States

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Mark Kersten

Allegations that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is biased against ‘Africa’ are nothing new. They have persisted for nearly a decade now and have only achieved greater salience in the wake of the recent decisions of South Africa, Burundi, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice | 8 Comments

Ten African States Who Will Stick with the International Criminal Court

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Mark Kersten

In the wake of South Africa’s, Burundi’s and The Gambia’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the focus of observers and commentators has been on who is next. Who will join the “queue” to leave the ICC? … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa Group for Justice and Accountability (AGJA), African Union (AU), Botswana, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, Ivory Coast / Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast and the ICC, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa | 5 Comments

There is no system of international justice against Africa because there is no system of international justice

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Mark Kersten

Following the twenty-seventh African Union summit, it seems brighter days may lie ahead for the tumultuous relationship between African states and the International Criminal Court (ICC). In the wake of the summit, which took place earlier this month in Kigali, … Continue reading →

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

Cutting Through the Noise – The African Group for Justice and Accountability on the ICC-Africa Relationship

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Mark Kersten

The relationship between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and African states is coming under renewed scrutiny at the 27th African Union Summit, currently taking place in Kigali, Rwanda. The outcome of the summit for ICC-African relations will be determined over … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Africa Group for Justice and Accountability (AGJA), African Union (AU), International Criminal Court (ICC) | 1 Comment

A Way Forward: An Africa-ICC Expert Panel

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Mark Kersten

In the world of international criminal justice, few issues have received as much attention as the relationship between the International Criminal Court (ICC) and African states and societies. While African constituencies were at the very forefront of pushing for, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Africa-ICC Expert Panel, African Union (AU), Complementarity, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice | Tagged | Leave a comment

Sudan, South Africa and the future of the International Criminal Court in Africa

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Mark Kersten

Many believe Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir is the person most responsible for the alleged genocide in Darfur. As such, he isn’t supposed to travel freely around the world. But this past June, Bashir visited South Africa for an African Union … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), Darfur, International Criminal Court (ICC), International Criminal Justice, International Law, South Africa, Sudan | 8 Comments

The Africa-ICC Relationship – More and Less than Meets the Eye (Part 3)

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Mark Kersten

Over the last two weeks, I have attempted to critically examine and assess the relationship between African states and the ICC. In the first post, I critiqued popular assumptions about the relationship, namely that it is viewed as either the … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), Central African Republic (CAR), Complementarity, Hissène Habré, International Criminal Court (ICC) | 5 Comments

Justice, But Only For Some: The Trial of Hissène Habré

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Mark Kersten

Kelly-Jo Bluen joins JiC for this critical take on the trial of Hissène Habré and the need to pursue justice for all parties responsible for atrocities in Chad. Kelly-Jo is the project leader for international justice at the Institute for … Continue reading →

Posted in African Union (AU), Chad, Guest Posts, Hissène Habré, International Criminal Justice, Senegal, Special African Chamber (CAE), War crimes | 4 Comments

The Africa-ICC Relationship – More and Less than Meets the Eye (Part 2)

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Mark Kersten

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has an ‘Africa problem’. The Court is widely perceived as a Western, neo-colonial institution that unfairly targets African states. The ICC and its champions insist this isn’t the case. The Court is simply misunderstood and … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, African Union (AU), Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Child Soldiers, Darfur, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominic Ongwen ICC, Hissène Habré, International Criminal Court (ICC), Ivory Coast / Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast and the ICC, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), Omar al-Bashir, Senegal, Special African Chamber (CAE), Sudan, Uganda, UN Security Council | 11 Comments