Sudan’s al-Bashir travels to Djibouti for Africa-China trade forum

July 4, 2018 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese President Omer al-Bashir on Wednesday travelled to Djibouti to participate in the China-Africa Economic Forum and Exhibition from 5 to7 July.

According to the official news agency SUNA, al-Bashir will also attend the inauguration of pilot zone of Djibouti International Free Trade Zone (DIFTZ) on July 5.

Al-Bashir’s accompanying delegation includes Foreign Minister El-Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed, Minister of the Presidency Fadl Abdallah Fadl, Director of the National Intelligence and Security Services Salah Abdallah and Director of the President’s Offices Hatim Hassan Bakhit.

Al-Bashir is under two International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants since 2008 for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in Darfur.

Djibouti is State Members of the Rome Statute and therefore obliged to comply with arrest warrants the ICC issues, even for incumbent heads of state.

However, Djibouti failed to arrest al-Bashir in 2016 when he arrived in its territory on an official visit prompting the ICC to report the East African nation to the United Nations Security Council.

Since the issuance of the two arrest warrants, Bashir limited his trips abroad to ICC non-party states but he also travelled to five signatory states including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, Malawi, Djibouti and South Africa.

His trip to South Africa in 2015 drew international attention after he flew out of the country defying a High court order which orders the government to ban his departure until an application calling for his arrest had been heard.