AU endorses Kenya bid for ICC deferral

Xinhua Photo | Zhao Yingquan> Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki attends 16th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Jan. 30, 2011.

Kenya's diplomatic offensive against the International Criminal Court got a new boost after gaining continental support at the end of African Union summit in Addis Ababa.

Kenya's appeal for a suspension of ICC prosecution against six alleged sponsors of the 2007-2008 post-election violence was unanimously endorsed by African leaders.

The African Union summit, which ended Monday evening at 10pm, inked its decision and requested United Nations Security Council to accede to the Kenyan request.

African Union Chief Jean Ping told reporters at the late-hour news conference in Addis Ababa that the summit approved Kenya's request, calling for a suspension of the trials by ICC for a year.

Igad, an East African security and development bloc, had earlier endorsed Kenya’s request overwhelmingly.

In 2009, the United Nations Security Council rejected an ICC deferral request by African Union for Sudanese president Omar Hassan Al Bashir, on the alleged charges of genocide and crimes against humanity against him.

Continental lobbying

Kenya new diplomatic gain comes after an intensive and expensive continental lobbying by Kenyan officials in the last couple of weeks.

During the leaders’ summit on Monday, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said his government is preparing to put all necessary legal framework to implement the trials at home.

Kibaki expressed his confidence on the new constitution adopted in August 2010, which he said paves way for justice and reconciliation.
"It will boost our efforts for peace, justice and reconciliation as well as uphold our national dignity and sovereignty; and prevent the resumption of conflict and violence," Kibaki told the summit.