Rwanda has dismissed a request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to arrest Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir if he attends the African Union Summit being held in the capital, Kigali, this weekend.
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Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said the issuance of African passport was one of the African strategic initiatives to disband all movement restrictions, which will eventually create a conducive environment for inter-African trade.
“Ministers agree that the decisions of the court are of a political nature, targeting African leaders”, she said.
Rwanda is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC) so President Bashir is guaranteed safe exit from the country after the summit of African Heads of State closes in Kigali.
In the past few months, three African countries have failed to arrest the Sudanese leader.
Mrs Chileshe said ambassadors of AU member states who constitute the PRC will discuss items on the agenda in preparation for the 27th AU Summit, to be submitted to the Executive Council for adoption.
In 2016, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) dismissed government’s appeal of the High Court ruling that the adoption of the Rome Statute legally obligated South Africa to arrest al-Bashir when he visited the country past year.
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“President Bashir will be granted his safety and security as a head of state, ICC issues will be addressed by those who are concerned and I don’t think they expect him to be arrested in Rwanda”, Mushikiwabo told local and worldwide reporters gathered at the Kigali Convention Centre, the venue of the AU summit.
