Ethiopia criticises ICC policy against Africa

October 1, 2013 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia has renewed its allegations that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is only targeting African leaders while ignoring cases in other parts of the world.

Ethiopia’s ministry of foreign affairs spokes person, Dina Mufti, said on Tuesday said that the ICC’s charges against African leaders are politically motivated rather than about legal issues.

“Ethiopia would work for Africa to be arbitrated by its own legal institutions”, he said

According to the official, the ICC prosecutor’s policy against Africa runs contrary to African Union’s goals that African problems should be solved by Africans.

Although 34 African countries are signatory to the ICC’s Rome Statute, many of the countries are suspicious about the way the ICC handles cases in the continent.

African leaders have been accusing it of inappropriately prosecuting only African leaders.

Many have labeled the ICC as an anti-Africa institution with wider double standards.

The 54-member continental bloc, the African Union (AU) has branded the ICC “racist” for targeting mainly Africans.

AU chairman, Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn accused it of being biased and set to hunt Africans.

Kenyan newly elected president Uhuru Kenyatta is the second sitting leader to be charged by the international court after Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir.

In September Kenya became the first country to withdraw from the Rome Statute reflecting Africa’s growing discontent on the ICC.

Worldwide, 122 countries are signatory to the ICC. Ethiopia has not ratified the treaty.

(ST)