John Campbell

Africa in Transition

Campbell tracks political and security developments across sub-Saharan Africa.

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Showing posts for "Cote d’Ivoire"

The African Quest for an Alternative to the International Criminal Court at The Hague

by John Campbell
Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo listens to the first sentence delivered by the International Criminal Court (ICC), at the ICC courtroom in the Hague July 10, 2012. (Jerry Lampen/Courtesy Reuters). Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo listens to the first sentence delivered by the International Criminal Court (ICC), at the ICC courtroom in the Hague July 10, 2012. (Jerry Lampen/Courtesy Reuters).

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been active in sub-Saharan Africa. Seven investigations have been launched in Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, and Mali. Four prominent Kenyan politicians are due for trial in The Hague in April 2013. One of them, Uhuru Kenyatta, is a leading candidate in the upcoming Kenya presidential elections. Should he win, the new Kenyan head of state would start his term under ICC indictment. About half of sub-Saharan Africa accepts ICC jurisdiction. The United States does not. Read more »

International Crisis Group Warns on the Ivory Coast

by John Campbell
A man pushes a bicycle past FRCI on patrol on a road near Sacre village, in the western Tai area near Ivory Coast's border with Liberia 17/06/2012. (Luc Gnago/Courtesy Reuters) A man pushes a bicycle past FRCI on patrol on a road near Sacre village, in the western Tai area near Ivory Coast's border with Liberia 17/06/2012. (Luc Gnago/Courtesy Reuters)

The International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague recently unsealed an arrest warrant against former first lady Simone Gbagbo. In effect, she is charged with being a full accomplice in the crimes of which her husband, former President Laurent Gbagbo, is accused. But the Ivory Coast’s troubles go beyond the personalities of the former regime. The International Crisis Group (ICG), a highly respected non-governmental organization that has a special focus on governance and security issues, issued on November 26, a sobering analysis that concludes that political and security issues continue to threaten the Ivory Coast’s recovery following more than a decade of civil war. Read more »

Avoiding Political Violence in Sierra Leone

by Guest Blogger for John Campbell
Sierra Leone's opposition party All People?s Congress supporters mingle outside their party headquarters in Freetown 26/07/2007. (Katrina Manson/Courtesy Reuters) Sierra Leone's opposition party All People?s Congress supporters mingle outside their party headquarters in Freetown 26/07/2007. (Katrina Manson/Courtesy Reuters)

This is a guest blog post by Mohamed Jallow, Program Development Specialist at IntraHealth International. He was previously a program associate at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Sierra Leoneans go to the polls a little over a week after the United States this year. Unlike the United States, Sierra Leone is still experimenting with the idea of democracy and all its complexities. There remains an ever present fear of elections degenerating into chaos and violence. Read more »