Bensouda said Cote d’Ivoire was referred to the court even before Abidjan became a signatory to the Rome Statute, “underlying how much faith the continent had in the court”. “African leaders have no problems with the ICC until it goes after one of them,” she said. Annan said African states played a critical role in founding the ICC when he was at the helm of the UN. MASS WITHDRAWALHe added that the threat of mass withdrawal from the Rome Statute was a myth, since the former was an extension of domestic jurisdictions. What the African leaders also ignore is that fact that the court could go after suspects irrespective of whether their countries are Rome Statute signatories or not.

Source: Daily Nation April 25, 2017 14:55 UTC