South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has met senior officials from the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), as South Africa uses an international justice conference to reaffirm its support for the independence and integrity of the ICC.
The meeting took place during the official opening of the International Conference on Access to Justice at the Sun City Convention Centre in the North West Province. The gathering, running from November 11 to 13, brings together international and regional representatives to discuss access to justice, constitutional democracy and the strengthening of legal institutions.
Among those attending were ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane, UNODC Executive Director Dr Monica Juma and ICC Acting Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang.
The engagement provided an opportunity to discuss matters concerning the ICC and South Africa’s relationship with the Court. It also allowed the country to restate the importance of protecting the institution from external pressure and safeguarding its ability to carry out its mandate independently.
The discussions come as the ICC faces growing pressure from the United States. On October 9, Washington imposed sanctions on the Court as an institution, following earlier sanctions targeting individual judges and prosecutors. The ICC condemned the move, saying it threatened the independence of an international judicial institution established to investigate and prosecute genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
The sanctions have raised wider concerns about the ability of the Court and its personnel to carry out their work without intimidation or interference. The ICC has called on its member states to provide continued support and help protect its operations.
South Africa has been an important participant in debates over the Court’s role and the application of international criminal law. Its engagement with ICC leadership at the conference therefore carries significance beyond the formal meeting, particularly as questions about international accountability and the independence of judicial institutions remain under discussion.
The conference also coincides with the 30th anniversary of the adoption of South Africa’s Constitution in 1996. Organised under the theme “Strengthening People-Centred Justice Systems: Deepening Democracy”, it seeks to examine how justice systems can become more accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of the public.
The gathering brings together government representatives, judicial officers, prosecutors, academics, civil society organisations and international institutions to discuss challenges facing justice systems and ways to strengthen the rule of law.
For the ICC, South Africa’s reaffirmation of support comes at a time when the Court is seeking to maintain its ability to operate despite sanctions and other forms of external pressure. The broader question facing its supporters is whether states that established the Court will continue to defend its independence when its work becomes politically contested.
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