Photo : Alexei Nikolsky, Kremlin via Reuters
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Alexei Nikolsky, Kremlin via Reuters
IN BRIEF
by Anu Maria Joseph
South Africa: ANC calls for an exit from ICC
On 25 April, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the governing party African National Congress wanted the country to leave the International Criminal Court. Ramaphosa said: “Yes, the governing party … has taken that decision that it is prudent that South Africa should pull out of the ICC; We would like this matter of unfair treatment to be properly discussed, but in the meantime, the governing party has decided once again that there should be a pull-out.” This comes after the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladymir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. South Africa has been continuously criticised for its pro-Russia stance. The country is due to host the BRICS summit this year; being a member of ICC, it is obliged to arrest Putin on his arrival to attend the summit. (“South Africa’s Ramaphosa says governing party wants ICC exit,” Al Jazeera, 25 April 2023)
Sudan: WHO warns a “biological hazard”
On 25 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that there is a high risk of a “biological hazard” at a laboratory in Khartoum after one of the rival factions captured the same. On the same day, BBC reported that a 72 hours agreed ceasefire in Sudan appears to be holding despite the reports of new gunfire and shelling. Currently, at least 459 people are reportedly killed and thousands have fled the country. Meanwhile, several European, Asian and African countries have evacuated hundreds of their citizens. (“Sudan crisis: Gunfire heard but uneasy truce holds,” BBC, 25 April 2023)