Ethiopia Expresses Its Support to Kenya's Stand On the International Criminal Court 

Ethiopia has expressed its support to Kenya's campaign for all African countries to collectively withdraw from the Rome Statue, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court.

Government Communication Affairs Office Minister, Redwan Hussien, has detailed the Ethiopian Government's concern with the ICC's sole focus on African leaders. Redwan said "We do not appreciate what the ICC has been doing, particularly when it comes to African leaders. It is belittling and it is disparaging the African leadership. We stand by the Kenyan people and we stand by the Kenyan government." However, in an interview with Voice of America, he also added that Ethiopia would not be actively lobbying other African countries to adopt its position.

The Kenyan Parliament recently voted to withdraw from the ICC, following the ICC's decision to indict the then elected President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto for their alleged involvement in 2007 post-election violence. On Friday, the Government of Ivory Coast announced its decision not to send the former First Lady, Simone Gbagbo, to the ICC to stand trial. The AU has announced that there will be an extraordinary Heads of State Summit on October 13 in Addis Ababa to discuss the concern of African states and consider a common position.