Botswana reaffirms support, ‘regrets’ SA decision

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Gaborone — The government of Botswana has become the first African country to “regret” the decision taken by South Africa to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Botswana’s ministry of foreign affairs confirmed to News24 that it had indeed released a statement that circulated on social media yesterday in which it “regretted” South Africa’s decision to withdraw from the Hague-based court.

“While Botswana fully respects the sovereign right of any country to become a party to, or to withdraw from any international instrument, the Government of Botswana nonetheless regrets that the Government of South Africa reached this decision,” read part of the statement.

See the whole statement below.

South Africa dealt a heavy blow to the international court on Friday by announcing it was withdrawing from the institution set up to prosecute the world’s worst crimes.

The decision followed a dispute last year when Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir visited the country for an African Union (AU) summit despite facing an ICC warrant over alleged war crimes.

South Africa was the second country last week, after Burundi, to move to leave the ICC.

Gambia on Tuesday also joined the queue to leave the international court, accusing it of “humiliating Africans”.

But Botswana reaffirmed its support for “a strong international criminal justice system”.

“Botswana is convinced that as the only permanent international criminal tribunal, the ICC is an important unique institution in the international criminal justice system. Botswana therefore wishes to reaffirm its membership of the Rome statute and reiterate its support for a strong international criminal justice system through the ICC,” the statement said. — AFP

 

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