Addis Ababa Declaration on the International Criminal Court

ICC
Global and Judicial Governance Trends of Justice


Preamble

International Workshop on "The ICC, Judicial Governance and Trends of Justice, December 3-4, 2012, Addis Ababa


This gathering of eminent persons reaffirms its commitment to the African Renaissance as the conceptual framework for the African agenda on Global governance, Judicial Governance and Cognitive Justice.
Considering that the enigma of World judiciary governance is above all a universal problem for all world intelligence;
The gathering reiterates the imperative of searching for African solutions to African problems as articulated by the African Union.
The gathering acknowledges that Africa has its own knowledge systems, governance, conflict transformation and justice which were marginalised through conquest, colonialism and foreign knowledge systems.
Realising the need to address the disenfranchisement of Africans in global governance, judicial governance and generation of global knowledge system, we commit ourselves to the development of African indigenous knowledge systems as the foundation of our assertion on the African position on global issues.
Conscious of the fact that Africa is part of an unequal and unbalanced global system and suffers from unfavourable socio-economic and political marginalisation.
Dissatisfied with the continuation of the New World Order of Governance that subjects Africa to injustice, domination, deprivation, poverty and underdevelopment.
Taking into account the decisions taken by the AU assembly of Heads of states and governments on the ICC and the calling for the reform of the Security Council.
We the distinguished members of African parliaments, esteemed scholars, academicians, lawyers, African youth and members of the media and the civil society organisations gathered here resolve as follows:
  • Take all measures to assist the African Union in its genuine endeavours to secure permanent seats in the United Nations Security Council by mobilising all African nations, peoples, states and governments as well as friends of Africa to support this process;
  • Create a favourable environment for African intellectuals to cooperate and coordinate their efforts in the priorities of the African Union so that can realize the African Renaissance;
  • Reaffirm the African position on the importance of fair and effective international justice;
  • Note that the ICC has prejudiced the idea of international justice through its partiality and subservience to the pressures of the powerful nations and alliances in the Security Council;
  • Strongly reject the ICC's exclusive targeting of African personalities for prosecution;
  • Committed to the implementation of the principle of complimentarity as enshrined in the Rome Statute and further urges African States to embody in their National Laws, crimes against humanity and war crimes ;
  • Disappointed with the assessed outcomes of the ICC operations to date, according to the Rome Statutes;
  • Call upon the Assembly of state Parties to immediately undertake remedial measures in order to improve the ICC's operations and take necessary measures against those who have violated the statutes;
  • Support all institutions dedicated to the fight against impunity;
  • Call upon the African Union member states to revoke cooperation with the ICC Statute, if its operations remain unsatisfactory;
  • Call on the remaining African states to ratify the African Court of human and people's Rights as it is now and repeal article 34 on individual right of standing;
  • Call on African states to ratify the Protocol and statutes of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights;
  • Call upon African states to provide sufficient funds for the effective and efficient operations of the African Courts in order to ensure their independence;
  • Urge the African Union to rescind the ICC indictment and warrantee of arrest against Africans and African leaders in the light of international law;
  • Urge the formation of the multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary task team to serve as intellectual leadership on all governance issues;
  • Create a Pan-African Youth and Women Movement on indigenous knowledge systems, human rights, and dispute and conflict resolution;
  • Reaffirm the commitment to the recognition, dignity and contribution of African women to sustainable justice, peace and stability;
  • Insist on the imperative to build united African institutions and forces that will ensure Africans' sovereignty triangle: law, military and money, in line with the African Union project of single African currency;
  • Call for a universal international judicial system which is independent, transparent and fair to all;
  • In full recognition of the fact that our internal weaknesses in the administration of justice in our societies have opened the door for foreign pressures;
  • Call upon member states of the African Union to strengthen existing judiciary systems and to improve the administration of justice for their own citizens;
  • Recommend that African states adopt laws that facilitate freedom of the press and give priority access to information to Africans;
  • Organize and promote forums of civil society organizations in particular youth, women and trade union organizations before each African Union Summit in the same towns where meetings are held in order to transmit their recommendations to the Head of States.

    • December 04, 2012 Harmony Hotel Addis Ababa Ethiopia
    RETOUR ACCEUIL PANAFRICANISME Symposium sur les Etats-Unis d'Afrique, Dakar Panafrikanismus-Kongress 2009 Zomachi Colloques Contact IDEE Contact IDEE-Europe

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