South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has reversed his prior decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
According to WION, the cause for the U-turn was a communication blunder by the African National Congress (ANC). South Africa had earlier declared its withdrawal from the ICC following the court's decision last month to issue an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula, Putin is free to visit South Africa at any moment, and the ICC serves the interests of a few rather than everyone.
Ramaphosa delivered his statements on April 25 at a joint news conference with his visiting Finnish colleague, Sauli Niinisto. According to Ramaphosa, the idea that the ICC treated some countries unfairly had been festering in the ANC for a long time, as reported by VOA.
The fact that numerous African presidents have previously been taken before the court at The Hague, Netherlands, most certainly fueled his claims.
“Our view is that we would like this matter of unfair treatment to be properly discussed,” Ramaphosa said.
The ICC issued the arrest warrant for Putin for what it claims is a war crime of "deporting" Ukrainian children.
A similar action was suggested by the ANC some years ago, but it was halted by a South African court that ruled it unlawful.
Putin has been invited to the BRICS group gathering of rising nations in Johannesburg this August.
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are among the members of BRICS. The ANC and the Kremlin get along well, with the ANC refusing to condemn Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Putin's presence, on the other hand, would legally obligate South Africa to arrest him, as the country is a party to the ICC.
Regardless, when former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir visited in 2015, South Africa refused to arrest him, despite the fact that the ICC had issued an arrest warrant for him.
Since the crisis between Russia and Ukraine began in February 2022, South Africa has faced harsh criticism for its tight alliance with Moscow. According to Africa News, the country's neutrality on the subject permits it to play a more helpful role in conflict settlement.
South Africa hosted naval drills with China and Russia in February, causing worldwide alarm. South Africa and Russia have always had relations. During the apartheid era, Russia was a staunch supporter of the ANC against the ruling regime.
