Thabo Mbeki Wants African Nations to Establish Criminal Court Amid SA’s Dilemma with Putin’s ICC Warrant

Former president Thabo Mbeki is pushing for African nations to set up their own criminal court

Mbeki believes the project will avoid similar situations like what SA is facing with Vladimir Putin's ICC arrest warrant and the upcoming Brics summit

Mbeki added that the country cannot invite Putin to the Brics summit and arrest him, but the country also can't go against the ICC

PRETORIA - Renowned former president Thabo Mbeki believes he has a solution to South Africa's dilemma with the International Criminal Court arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin.

Thabo Mbeki wants Africa to set up continental criminal court

Mbeki has proposed that African nations band together to establish a criminal court of its own that adheres to the Rome Statute.

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The former president's suggestion comes as the South African government prepares to host the Brics summit in August 2023, which Putin plans to attend.

SA government faces dilemma regarding Putin's ICC arrest warrant and Brics summit

As a signatory of the ICC, SA is obligated to arrest Putin if he sets foot in the country for alleged war crimes committed during Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, The Conversation reported.

However, Russia and South Africa are also partners in the Brics grouping and will face backlash if it arrests the Russian president.

The SA government faces the challenge of deciding how it will move forward when Putin attends the Brics summit in August.

Speaking on SA's dilemma on SABC News, Mbeki said the country cannot invite Putin and then arrest him, neither can it refuse to arrest him when he attends the summit.

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Mbeki said:

"Brics countries must agree either to hold the summit- chaired by South Africa, in one of the Brics countries- outside South Africa, or hold it virtually."

South Africans debate Thabo Mbeki's suggestion to establish African Criminal Court

Below are some comments:

@1NDILEF agreed:

"We really need our very own ACC so we can prosecute those cruel African leaders."

@BobbieStlabusha criticised:

"It's like someone saying they're gonna play football with their dancing shoes..."

@Mahinyahinya29 questioned:

"How effective will it be, given the fact that Africa is divided?"

@totitoteee1 claimed:

"It's doubtful if the ACC can arrest African leaders."

Africa Day: Cyril Ramaphosa says African countries should refuse to be drawn into foreign conflict

Similarly, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa had a strong message for African leaders during the Africa Day celebrations at the Cradle of Humankind on Thursday, 25 May.

The president said African nations should not allow themselves to be drawn into the foreign conflict and should take their place on the global stage.

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Ramaphosa reflected on the African continent's painful history of being involved in proxy wars and said the continent must not return there.

Source: Briefly News