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African Union to meet regarding Kenya ICC cases
(Reuters) – African leaders will meet in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, on October 13 to take a common stance on whether to join Kenya’s planned pull-out from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the prosecution of its leaders, officials said on Thursday.
So far there does not seem to be much support for it, however, heads of state from the 54-member African Union may still discuss the possibility of a pullout by the 34 African signatories to the Rome Statute that created the tribunal.
Last week’s start of the trial of Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto for crimes against humanity – with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s trial due in November – has fueled a growing backlash against the Hague-based court from some African governments, which see it as a tool of Western powers.
“The Kenyans have been criss-crossing Africa in search of support for their cause, even before their parliament voted to withdraw from the ICC,” an African Union official told reporters.
“An extraordinary summit will now take place to discuss the issue. A complete walk-out of signatories to the Rome Statute is certainly a possibility, but other requests maybe made.”
The summit would be preceded by a meeting of African foreign ministers a day earlier, he said.
Kenya’s spokesman for the presidency Manoah Esipisu said the country had not canvassed for the summit, but “welcomed the opportunity by African leaders to discuss what is obviously an important matter for the continent”.
