The International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced plans to close its office in Abidjan by mid-2025, marking the end of its physical presence in Côte d’Ivoire.
The office was established in 2012 to investigate crimes committed during the political-military crisis between 2002 and 2010 and provide access to justice for the Ivorian population.
The ICC’s presence followed the 2010-2011 post-election crisis, which claimed over 3,000 lives. During its operations, former President Laurent Gbagbo and his Minister of Youth, Charles Blé Goudé, were detained at the ICC’s detention center in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity. Both were acquitted in 2019 and have since returned to Côte d’Ivoire.
Amadou Coulibaly, spokesperson for the Ivorian government, welcomed the move, stating that it reflects the effectiveness of the country’s judicial system. “If the ICC considers its mission complete and wishes to close its office, we can only be pleased. It shows that our national jurisdictions are functioning well and have taken over,” he said during a press conference following the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.
However, Willy Neth, president of the Ivorian League for Human Rights (Lidho), expressed concerns over the closure. In an interview with Anadolu, he described it as a “bad signal” for several reasons, particularly the impact on ongoing procedures related to the post-electoral crisis. Neth hopes the decision does not lead to increased insecurity for victims of the crisis.