The International Criminal Court: Working for Africa

This seminar report details a public event held on 3 June 2009 in Pretoria, featuring Judge Sang-Hyun Song, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The document outlines the ICC's operational status, its relationship with state sovereignty, and the tensions between the Court and the African Union (AU) regarding the prosecution of sitting heads of state.

• President Sang-Hyun Song asserted that the ICC is a fully functional judicial system, noting that 108 states have ratified the Rome Statute, four investigations have been started, and 13 arrest warrants have been issued. He stated that the Court is showing signs of having a deterrent effect on international crimes and should contribute to reconciliation by ensuring justice is visible in affected communities.
• The ICC is defined as a court of last resort that respects state sovereignty and operates separately from the concept of universal jurisdiction. President Song emphasized that the Court must remain separate from political debates and pressures, suggesting that the 108 States Parties and civil society should protect the institution from such influence.
• Festus Aboagye noted that the African Union (AU) is unlikely to cooperate fully with the ICC due to discomfort among African leaders regarding the arrest or warrants for sitting heads of state, specifically citing Charles Taylor and Omar al-Bashir. These actions are viewed by some as "un-diplomatic" and potentially disruptive to regional peace and stability.
• The report identifies a "fault line" in regional policies on rule of law and good governance, describing the African justice architecture—comprising the African Court of Justice and the African Court of Human and People’s Rights—as the weakest part of the African peace and security architecture.
• Despite tensions, the ICC is viewed as a potential force for good and a cost-effective intervention tool in Africa that could inhibit gross violations and reduce the need for large Peace Support Operations. To improve cooperation, the ICC is considering opening a liaison office in Africa to facilitate institutionalized consultations.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2009). The International Criminal Court: Working for Africa. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ICCSEMREP030609.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. The International Criminal Court: Working for Africa. 2009. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ICCSEMREP030609.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=The International Criminal Court: Working for Africa |date=3 June 2009 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ICCSEMREP030609.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2009international, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{The International Criminal Court: Working for Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2009}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ICCSEMREP030609.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }