Kagame on why Rwanda didn’t sign Rome Statute

{President Paul Kagame said that Rwanda is not a signatory to the Rome Statute establishing International Criminal Court (ICC) because the country does not see the court’s vision.}

123 countries of which 34 are from Africa on July 17th 1998 signed the Rome Statue confirming the establishment of ICC based in Netherlands.

Currently African countries are seeking to deregister from membership of ICC accusing it of bias and issuing arrest warrants for sitting African presidents like Omar Al Bashir of Sudan.

President Kagame who was presiding over closing ceremony of Indangamirwa civic education held in Gabiro on Tuesday was answering one of the trainees on why some countries ratified the statute but want to pull out.

“I have heard you speaking about ICC. We never ratified ICC decisions since we didn’t clearly understand its vision. Some countries signed and wished to pull out while others signed but benefit nothing from it,” he said.

At the beginning of AU summit, ICC had asked Rwanda to arrest Sudan’s President Omar Al Bashir, a request which was rejected by the government.The minister of foreign affairs said that Rwanda has no rights to arrest Bahir as it didn’t ratify ICC agreements.

The article 127 of Rome statute allows any member state of ICC to withdraw but that must not hamper cooperation of the court with that country.