The ANC denies that it has proposed an “immediate” withdrawal of South Africa from the ICC

25 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The African National Congress (ANC) has denied this Tuesday that it has proposed an “immediate” withdrawal of South Africa from the International Criminal Court (ICC) after a statement by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the impartiality of the court.

“A wrong impression has been created that a categorical decision has been made on an immediate withdrawal (from the TPI),” he said in a statement, adding that this possibility would only be given as a “last resort.”

The ANC has detailed in said text that the body has discussed at a press conference the option of revitalizing the Malabo protocol, as well as the need to “amend national legislation” with respect to legal procedures on the Rome Statute.

Ramaphosa has previously alleged that the ANC is in favor of South Africa directly breaking with the ICC. The party, he said, considers it “prudent”, arguing that the Hague-based court allegedly has biased positions on certain issues.

The South African president, who received his Finnish counterpart, Sauli Niinisto, previously assured that his government’s position has always been “very clear” in relation to the war in Ukraine and goes by defending that “conflicts are resolved through negotiations.” , a “lesson” that he has said to draw from Nelson Mandela.

South Africa will host the BRICS leaders’ summit in August, which brings together Russia, among other countries. The possible assistance of Putin has already begun to generate debate, given that the South African authorities would theoretically be obliged to detain the Russian president by virtue of the commitments signed in the Statute of Rome.