Reuters: Namibia would remain a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) if the United States joined, Namibia’s president Hage Geingob told Reuters in London on Thursday.
Namibia said in March that it would withdraw from the ICC, which sits in The Hague and has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The court has come under criticism from African nations.
“People are saying that it only targets African leaders. That seems to be true … and that’s a problem,” said Geingob, who was elected as president of Namibia in November 2014.
“But if you convince the United States to come, we will stay,” he said.
The United States is not currently a participant in the ICC as it has not signed or ratified the Rome Statute, a treaty which serves as the ICC’s governing document.
“Africa needs to develop its own processes, systems, courts and institutions,” Geingob added. “It would help us to be self sufficient. We must build lasting institutions … not something imposed from foreign countries.”
Turning to the economy, Geingob said he expects growth of 2 to 3 percent in Namibia in 2017, up from around 2.5 percent in 2016, and below the average longer term trend of 4-5 percent.
