Patterns of State Behaviour and Cooperation with the ICC: Whither Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal

Abstract

African states manifest inconsistent patterns of behaviour showing a mix of credible commitment and sham devotion to their obligation to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC). This study poses a question: what will be of the status of Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal regarding cooperation with the ICC by 2022, considering their pattern of behaviour so far, evidence from data and the spate of domestication and exit procedures in homogeneous African states in contemporary times? It finds that: the pattern of Nigeria's behaviour shows sham devotion and predicts that she will not domesticate the ICC Statute by 2022; the pattern of Ghana's behaviour straddles credible commitment and sham devotion and she may enact her its Rome Statute Bill 2016 or remain a mere ratifier by the end of 2022; and the pattern of Senegal's behaviour shows credible commitment and she will remain in cooperation with the ICC by 2022.