Sudan’s Bashir arrives in India in new challenge to ICC
October 28, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir on Wednesday has arrived in India to participate in third India-Africa summit in a new challenge to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
He was welcomed by Indian foreign Vijay Kumar Singh as he arrives the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi, India.
The India Africa Forum Summit gathers over 40 African leaders who come to explore ways to develop relations and attract India investment and technology.
Launched in 2008, India also hopes that the forum can contribute to build strategic partnership aimed at revamping cooperation between India and African countries, where its rival China already has a major head start.
In statements to Reuters on Tuesday; the ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda called on the Indian government to cooperate with the war crimes tribunal and arrest Bashir.
Bensouda said that India, which is not an ICC signatory, has to cooperate because the U.N. Security Council resolution had lifted Bashir’s immunity under international law.
“By arresting and surrendering ICC suspects, India can contribute to the important goal of ending impunity for the world’s worst crimes,” she added.
Bashir received an official invitation from the Indian government to attend the meeting.
Last June, Bashir was forced to flee South Africa where he attended an African Union (AU) summit after a court ruled he should be banned from leaving pending the outcome of a hearing on his possible arrest.
The Sudanese president is expected to hold talks with the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the summit to discuss the future of the bilateral relations between the two countries.
India is the second largest exporter to Sudan after China. Several Indian oil, gas and construction firms operate in Sudan.
Total bilateral trade between India and Sudan surged to $1.4 billion in 2014-15, from $327 million in 2005-06.
(ST)