I believe the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) near-exclusive focus on African cases over nearly two decades has been deeply problematic. The argument that this focus serves as a tool for former colonial powers to exert neo-colonial influence through international criminal justice carries significant weight. The EU-ACP Cotonou Agreement, which conditioned economic aid on ICC membership, strikes me as patronizing and akin to economic and political coercion. The ICC, meant to represent universal justice, has failed to reflect the global scope it was created to serve.

While it’s true that crimes under the Rome Statute occurred in Africa, I find it troubling that these were not solely committed by Africans. Non-African state and non-state actors, such as those involved in "Minerals for Weapons" deals, often played a role in fueling these conflicts, yet they’ve largely escaped accountability. For instance, France’s military and economic presence in the Central African Republic, where ICC-relevant crimes were committed with French-supplied weapons, raises questions about complicity in violation of international arms conventions. I’m concerned that arms suppliers, aware their weapons would be used for atrocities, have faced neither investigation nor prosecution.

Moreover, the ICC’s prosecutions seem to disproportionately target the defeated in conflicts. In Northern Uganda, for example, no members of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) were prosecuted, and in Côte d'Ivoire, French forces and allied groups involved in targeting civilians were similarly spared. This selective justice undermines the ICC’s credibility.

The recent sanctions against the ICC Prosecutor and judges—predominantly women from African and developing countries—are, in my view, blatant political maneuvers to shield impunity and undermine international justice. I find it disheartening that these sanctions haven’t faced stronger condemnation from bodies like the Bureau of the ASP, the EU, or the UN General Assembly. The lack of robust support for the ICC weakens this vital mechanism for global justice, which I believe is essential for a safer, more equitable world.

In my opinion, the ICC must address these biases, hold all actors accountable regardless of their power or origin, and receive stronger international backing to fulfill its mission for the collective good of humanity.