Sudan’s Bashir will not attend Africa-South America summit
September 22, 2009 (WASHINGTON) — The Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir will skip the second Africa-South America summit that will kick off this weekend in Venezuela.
The government sponsored Sudanese Media Center (SMC) website said that 2nd Vice President Ali Osman Taha will lead Sudan’s delegation.
Officials from 54 African and 12 South American nations are expected to attend.
The Sudanese head of state faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued last March for his alleged role in orchestrating war crimes in Sudan’s Western region of Darfur.
At the time the invitation was received, Sudanese officials said that there was nothing that prevents Bashir from attending the summit noting that he was able to travel freely several times after the arrest warrant was issued.
Venezuela is an ICC state party but Sudanese officials that Chavez pledged to protect Bashir from any possible arrest.
Chavez lashed out the ICC saying it targeted Bashir because he is a president of a third world country adding that the court needs to go after Israeli and US leaders instead.
Ever since the arrest warrant Bashir has confined his travels to regional countries and avoiding states that has ratified the Rome Statute, which is the founding text of the ICC.
Last July the leaders of 30 African countries that have ratified the Rome Statute issued a resolution in Sirte, Libya announcing that they will not honor their obligations under the convention relating to apprehension of ICC indicted individuals.
Bashir received formal invitations from a number of ICC state parties including Djibouti, Senegal, Uganda and South Africa.
However, even with the invitations South Africa and Uganda warned Bashir that he would face arrest if he were to visit.
(ST)