Bashir again defies ICC with Zimbabwe trip

KHARTOUM, Saturday

Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir travelled to Zimbabwe today in defiance of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), state media reported.

Bashir has already travelled to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Libya since the warrant was issued in March for alleged crimes against humanity in Sudan’s conflict-ridden Darfur region.

Like Bashir, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has had a stormy relationship with the West. Western donors blame him for economic turmoil in Zimbabwe and have called for broad reforms.

“(Bashir) left to Zimbabwe to take part in the activities of the third summit meeting of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) states” the Suna state news agency reported.

The trip will be Bashir’s first visit to the southern African country officials told Reuters this week. Bashir has only been visiting countries that are not members of the court.