South Africa backtracks on the decision to withdraw from ICC

South Africa has revoked its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.

The decision came after the High Court ruled last month that the government’s move to pull out was unconstitutional and invalid.

South Africa had notified the UN of its intention to leave last October, saying the ICC pursued “regime change”.

The decision followed a dispute over Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s visit to South Africa in 2015.

The authorities there refused to arrest Mr Bashir despite him facing an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes.

Mr Bashir was attending an African Union summit in Johannesburg, when the government ignored an ICC request to arrest him.

Deciding on the government move to withdraw from the court, the High Court ruled in favour of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), which argued that the government had to first seek parliamentary approval.

The Gambia, under new President Adama Barrow, has also recently revoked its withdrawal from the court.