Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Officials of the African Union (AU) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) rounded off talks aimed at joining forces in the fight against impunity and working together to fight the world's most serious crimes, including genocide. The joint ICC-AU meeting gathered over 50 people, representing 15 African states, to discuss the technical aspects of the Rome Statute and the practice of the ICC. The talks sought to improve the participants’ knowledge of ICC’s work and to generate a practical, objective and constructive understanding of the ICC.

Ben Kioko, legal counsel for the African Union Commission, told the opening session of the meeting that “the AU and ICC share a mandate to fight impunity for the serious crimes of international concern.”

ICC officials engaged directly in a dialogue with the participants on the role of ICC in the international justice system dedicated to the fight against impunity and the role of Africa in the establishment of the Rome Statute system.

Presentations on ICC’s structure and governing principles, including complementarity, were followed by a candid discussion about the relationship between regional and international organizations as well as the relationship between peace and justice, an ICC statement said.

The talks took place following the meetings in Addis Ababa between African Union Commission Chairperson, Jean Ping, and President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, Christian Wenaweser, and the ICC President, Judge Sang-Hyun Song, in January and February 2011 respectively.

The AU has been viewed as largely uncooperative with ICC in the fight against impunity.

The AU accused ICC of applying selective justice by targeting African leaders for crimes committed within the continent and turning a blind eye to crimes committed elsewhere in the world.

The ICC insists it is acting in the best interest of African victims of atrocities, including war crimes and that its actions are in the defence of peace and justice.

The AU insists ICC actions are undermining efforts to restore peace in places like Darfur.

Pana 20/07/2011