African countries should remain in the Rome Statute, says EU official

The European Union (EU) has urged African countries not to leave the International Criminal Court.

Head of EU delegation to the African Union Ranieri Sabatucci said the countries should remain in the Rome Statute.

Addressing the annual "High-Level Dialogue on Democracy, Human Rights and Governance in Africa" at Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania, Mr Sabatucci said his team will hold talks with the AU on human rights in January.

"Although we both want justice for our citizens- our views differ on the role the Rome Statute can play in achieving that. EU is a staunch supporter of the Rome Statute," he said on Wednesday.

A member of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Ms Maya Fadel said the withdrawal of Burundi, South Africa and The Gambia from Rome Statute was as a result of a grudge they had with ICC.

Burundi, South Africa and The Gambia have announced their intention to leave ICC.

"I was among the three experts who compiled a report on situation in Burundi and when it was presented, Burundi got offended and banned us from the country," Ms Maya said.

Mr Sabatucci also backed the formation of a Hybrid Court for South Sudan.

HYBRID COURT

"A very concrete recent benchmark is the first ever AU Commission of Inquiry into the grave human rights violations in South Sudan. In this regard, the EU commends the AU decision to create a Hybrid Court for South Sudan and underlines the importance of the implementation of the decision. We are ready to support the efforts," Mr Sabatucci said.

The EU also signed a euro 2.5 million contract with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights and a euro 2 million contract with the African Court on Human and Peoples; Rights. The three year contracts are part of the euro 10 million EU support aimed at strengthening the African Human Rights under the EU Pan-African Programme.

The contract aims at improving human rights.

Tanzania Vice-President Samia Suluhu Hassan praised the AU's achievements on human rights and called for more efforts "towards full realisation of human rights of our citizens."

"Equally, important we should not be blinded by these successes and headways, rather we should be able to assess whether they have made significant impact to the majority of our people in the continent," she said.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION

Ms Hassan, who officially opened the forum that also marked 10 years of the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights (AfCHPRs) added: "The bitter truth is that human rights violation is still notable in various parts of our continent, especially among women and children who are mostly affected."

Ms Hassan who was accompanied AfCHPRs President Sylvain Ore and Vice President Ben Kioko named female genital mutilation, early marriages, few education opportunities, low wages, human trafficking, domestic abuse and gender based violence as problems facing women.

She outlined President John Pombe Magufuli's government commitment to ensure human rights and fight graft.

The AU declared 2016 year of human rights in Africa. It also marks the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the African Charter; the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the African Charter and the 29th anniversary of the operationalisation of the African Union Commission on Human and people's Rights.

Judge Ore regretted that some African countries had not allowed their citizens and NGOs access to AfCHPRs.

Ms Hassan also called on African countries to ratify the protocol establishing the Arusha based Court and allow their citizens access to it, to strengthen it.