African ICC signatories to meet to strengthen international justice laws
The three-day session follows the 2024 October pilot meeting in Johannesburg, where 33 African countries gathered to begin the process of drafting an amendment proposal.
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JOHANNESBURG - All the African states party to the International Criminal Court (ICC) are set to meet in Ghana on Monday for engagements on the Kampala amendments, in a bid to strengthen laws on international justice.
The three-day session follows the 2024 October pilot meeting in Johannesburg, where 33 African countries gathered to begin the process of drafting an amendment proposal.
Minister of Justice Mmamoloko Kubai will be part of the delegation meant to present a unified African voice on the Kampala amendments on the crime of aggression.
Before the 2010 Uganda conference, the Rome Statute did not have a clear definition of what crimes of aggression were and the conditions under which the ICC could exercise its jurisdiction.
The 2010 amendments offered the statute a clearer framework according to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly resolution.
The legal changes adopted in 2010 at the review conference in Uganda set out the conditions under which the court could perform its procedures without the UN Security Council’s approval.
Kubai’s Spokesperson, Terrence Manase, said: "These amendments define the crime of aggression and establish the conditions under which the ICC can exercise jurisdiction over it. An act of aggression includes using armed force by one State against another in violation of the United Nations (UN) charter, such as invasion, military occupation, annexation by force, bombardment, or blockade.”
Manase said that the engagements are vital to foster a sense of uniformity among African states on adopting a regime that is both fair and legitimate.