Hello, three countries, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have all walked away from the International Criminal Court
They accuse it of being unfair, say it's robbing victims, and they also say that the International Criminal Court is threatening the accountability of Africa
So what is there to do? This is the debate that we're going to be discussing
I'm Takumbo Sulako joining you on Africa News Debate. Now we go over
Well, should the rest of Africa follow the move of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso
That is the question that we're going to be looking at today, because the Sahel Alliance's decision has not come out of nowhere
For months, leaders in those three countries have been accusing the ICC of turning a blind
eye in ignoring Western abuses while focusing almost entirely on Africa. Now their withdrawal marks the first coordinated exit by multiple countries and comes at a time when the three nations are already cutting political and security ties with Western powers and forming new alliances especially with big powers such as Russia
Now, this move has reignited the old question across the continent. And this is the question
of does the International Criminal Court serve Africans or is it serving the uses of those it was
meant to protect. Now, before we speak to our guest, Donald Dyer, who's the CEO of the Pan-African
Lawyers Union. First, we're going to hear a report by African News last week
on when those countries made the decision. Three West African nations, Mali, Burkina Faso
and Niger have announced their decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court
ICC denouncing it as a tool of neocolonial repression. All three are ruled by military regimes that came to power in recent years via coups
They already distanced themselves from regional bodies like ECOWAS and now say the ICC has been selectively targeting weaker states while ignoring others
The withdrawal takes effect one year after notification to the UN Secretary Importantly any ongoing cases or investigations that began before that date will still fall under ICC jurisdiction
These countries also say they intend to establish indigenous mechanisms for justice and accountability
aligning legal processes more closely with their own values and claims of sovereignty
Human rights groups have expressed concern that the move may reduce international oversight of alleged abuses by both non-state armed groups and national forces, especially in countries grappling with conflict and insurgency
Now, before we speak to our guests, let me just have a look and show you the results of a poll that we've been asking and carrying out here on Africa News
That's asking you the question of do you think the rest of Africa should follow the path of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso and walk away from the International Criminal Court
Well the results so far are quite overwhelming with the majority of people who responded to this poll saying yes that the rest of Africa should walk away from the International Criminal Court Well let me remind you of course that that poll is not closed You can still of course
express your opinion, and you should express your opinion, because now I'm going to be asking the
opinion of Donald Dyer, who's the CEO of the Pan-African Lawyers Union. He joins me from Arusha
in Tanzania. Mr. Donodaya, thank you for taking time to speak to us here on Africa News Debate
Let me start by asking you, of course, the Sahel Alliance calls the ICC a tool of Western influence
Now, from your point of view, does this criticism have any substance or is this more a political
than a legal threat? First and foremost, let me clarify that the three countries
have said they plan to leave the ICC. They have not yet deposited any instruments of withdrawal
from the Rome Statute. So for now, it is just an intention they have expressed
That said, indeed, the ICC has had some challenges in its first three years of practical existence
It has indeed concentrated on