Minister Mushikiwabo on ICC: What Africa Wants is Justice, not Judicial Colonialism

{{Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda, Louise Mushikiwabo has said that Africans must be actors and not spectators of African growth. }}

Speaking on a panel titled “The Road to a new Independence” at the New York Forum Africa 2013 taking place in Libreville, Minister Mushikiwabo said it is past time for Africa to take charge of its destiny: “We have a lot in common as a continent. We need to define what we want and make plans for ourselves.

There is a need for us, as countries of Africa, to make decisions on our own and not allow others to make decisions for us”.

In a discussion on infrastructure and regional integration as key growth factors, Minister Mushikiwabo said that Rwanda was conscious of the importance of development of infrastructure and human capital, an awareness triggered after the country hit rock bottom.

In response to comments by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, who defended the ICC against accusations of being politicised and of unfairly targeting Africans, Minister Mushikiwabo said: “With the International Criminal Court the only thing we hear is Africa – what happened to the word “international”? What about other parts of the world? What Africa wants is justice, not judicial colonialism”.

Other panellists on the panel included Colin Coleman MD of Goldman Sachs International, Mr. Luc OYOUBI, Gabonese Minister of Economy and Thierry Tanoh, CEO of Ecobank.

The NY Forum Africa 2013 was also attended by Heads of State of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and Senegalese President Macky Sall, who will represent Africa at the upcoming G8 Summit in UK.

CEMAC Heads of State discussed economic challenges and solutions for the region in a panel titled: “New challenges, new hope, new leadership”.

The second edition of the New York Forum Africa 2013 saw a record participation of over 700 people from all over the world, among them opinion leaders from business, politics and academia.

The forum is an initiative of Richard Attias & Associates, under the patronage of President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon, and in partnership with the government of Gabon.

The Forum is organized around a number of major debates that examine the key economic and business issues Africa faces today, with key themes that include trade, transparency and trust, investment, infrastructure, and growth.