Department of History and Diplomatic Studies, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt,
The lessons of world war I and II include the adoption of a multilateral approach and framework to the issues contending with global peace and security, but the persistence of these issues – poverty, wars, conflicts, terrorism, etc. had caused the international community and humankind to seek the ever elusive “perpetual peace”. For the African states, by virtue of being members and signatories to the United Nations Charter makes it binding, but the snag here is the fact almost all organs of the UN are controlled and dominated by nations with power, thus these organs being used as an instrument of penetration and control of nations without power. The adoption of the Rome Status meant and translated to International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) came into being with the first line charge of helping the UN in prosecuting crimes against humanity. The discharge of the first line charge of the ICC had caused great uproar and misgivings in some states, especially those in the African continent. Only recently, some African states are known to have served the International Criminal Court notices of withdrawal from the Rome (Treaty) Statute. The actions of the African states elicited some questions that include (1) why are African states serving the court (ICC) with notices of withdrawal and (11) how did these African states arrive at this decision. Through the instrumentality of political economy approach, the paper did arrive at several conclusions among which is the systemic bias against the continent, thus the recommendations canvassed herein.
International System, International Adjudication and Arbitration, Sovereignty, Security Council, African Union, International Policies and Relations.
