AU calls extraordinary session to discuss Africa’s stand on ICC, elect a new commissioner for peace and security
Member states of the African Union (AU) are to meet in Addis Ababa on Oct. 11 -12 for an extraordinary session of the assembly. According to a statement from the AU, the extraordinary session is called to discuss progress report on the “implementation of Decision Assembly /AU/Dec. 482 (XXI) of May 2013 on International Jurisdiction, Justice and ICC.”
During the two days session the AU will be discussing “Africa’s relationship with the International Criminal Court (ICC).” IT is widely rumored that members state if the AU will collectively withdraw from the ICC’s statue on the grounds that the Court is highly biased towards countries in the continent.
Speaking to the media on Friday Oct. 4th, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, who is also the current chairperson of the AU said the decision on whether or not to stay should come from the member states of the AU.
The second agenda for the extraordinary session will be to elect a new commissioner for peace and security. According to inside information obtained by Addis Standard, the commissions’ seasoned commissioner Amb. Ramatane Lamamra resigned from his post last month and returned home to Algeria to assume a post as minister of Internal Affairs. Ethiopia was vying for the position after fielding Amb. Konigit SehineGiorgis, but lost it to Amb. Lamamra, who was reelected to the position. In a twitter response to Addis Standard’s request on whether or not Ethiopia will compete for the position, Dr Tedros Adnahom, Ethiopia’s minister of foreign Affairs , answered with a straight “No”.
According to the information obtained by Addis Standard, the position is most likely to go to another Algerian as it is the rotating turn of the North African region.
