World Cup football- more than just a beautiful game

In 2003, the UK and the US charged into Iraq on the basis of faulty intelligence pointing to the housing of weapons of mass destruction and allegations that Saddam Hussein was supporting Al Qaeda. The consequences of these actions have come back to haunt former Prime Minister Tony Blair who is currently being pursued for […]

Last week the ICC unsealed an arrest warrant for Gaddafi’s former security chief Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled who has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated in Libya in 2011. The arrest warrant was issued under seal in 2013 and Khaled remains at large. The Libya situation is one that reflects the myriad […]

Last week, the Associated Press went public with yet another scandal detailing the sexual abuse of children at the hands of United Nations peacekeepers in Haiti. Whilst allegations existed previously, the extent of the abuse is far greater than initially reported a few years ago. Those sent to protect civilians continue to exploit innocent women […]

The dubious cabinet reshuffle has stolen headlines for very valid reasons. However, the fact that South Africa must appear before the International Criminal Court on Friday this week for its failure to arrest Sudanese President Omar al Bashir, should not fall off our news radars. Could it influence whether the current government decides to remain […]

Impunity has long lasting and severe consequences. South Sudan, Africa’s newest independent state, is a prime example of this. South Sudan has been plagued by challenges for several years and the recently released UN Commission Report on Human Rights in South Sudan depicts a devastating and grim situation. Whilst there are many explanations for the […]

The dubious cabinet reshuffle has stolen headlines for very valid reasons. However, the fact that South Africa must appear before the International Criminal Court on Friday 7 March, this week for its failure to arrest Sudanese President Omar al Bashir, should not fall off our news radars. Could it influence whether the current government decides […]

On 22 February, the High Court handed down an important and definitive judgment reminding the executive that the Constitution of this nation cannot be ignored or bypassed. Finding that the executive’s notice of withdrawal from the International Criminal Court was unconstitutional and invalid, the High Court restored a sense of order. The Court took matters […]

Last week the Constitutional and Human Rights Division of the High Court in Nairobi Kenya, ruled that the government ordered closure of the world’s biggest refugee camp, Dadaab, was unconstitutional. In turbulent times when it comes to the global refugee crisis the affirmation of the rule of law and the promotion and protection of refugee […]

The 28th Ordinary African Union Summit has produced interesting developments. The election of a new AU Commission Chairperson and discussions pertaining to yet another International Criminal Court (ICC) withdrawal strategy are particularly intriguing. The Summit, which ran from 22 January to 31 January, saw Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat’s election after seven rounds of voting in […]

In December 2016 we celebrated the prospect of a peaceful democratic transition in Gambia as President Yahya Jammeh conceded defeat in the elections after over two decades in power. One week later, he changed his tune and refused to accept the election results. He remains defiant. Regional and international leaders are trying to persuade Jammeh […]