adminHe said at the moment international bodies such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and financial institutions were skewed in favour of the Western countries.
“The international justice system is not being served well by the ICC. The court has shown blatant bias and created the impression that it is up to punishing African leaders,” said Cde Hlongwane.
He made reference to several cases where African leaders have been dragged to The Hague on accusations of alleged human rights crimes. These include the recent Libyan case, trial of former Cote d’Ivoire leader
Laurent Gbagbo and former Liberian leader Charles Taylor.
Cde Hlongwane participated at the 26th Session of the ACP EU JPA that was held in Lome, Togo, from 16 to 26 November.
The convention ran under the theme: “The Development of Multilateral Relations and International Justice.”
Cde Hlongwane said the economies of developing countries were suffering because international inancers such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank’s policies were not friendly to them.
“The IMF and the World Bank have led an international financial system fraught with irregularities. This system has deepened poverty, enslaved ACP economies and created an international financial crisis.
“The time has come for the establishment of a bank, which departs from the IMF and World Bank models, and is sympathetic to the needs of poor countries,” he said.
Cde Hlongwane called for the setting up of a new, enduring ACP EU partnership model that would underscore the aspect of equality between co-operating partners.
He said the traditional development aid models have failed to achieve the desired sustainable development for developing nations.
Instead, said Cde Hlongwane, the models have reduced developing states into poor consumers.
He also reiterated the need to provide the legal platform for the expansion of the ACP group and to strengthen its institutional capacity by allowing developing countries to have a veto voice to enhance its opportunities.
“We need to revamp our tools of international engagement as a matter of urgency. The ACP EU JPA must take a leading role in advocating for a greater thrust in multi-polarity for a positive geo-political physiognomy of our contemporary world.
“The reform of the United Nations system to allow for a veto voice for developing countries must be a priority,” said Cde Hlongwane.
“The emergence of BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has changed the world as we know it, creating more opportunities for multi-lateral co-operation which never existed before.”
The ACP EU JPA was established as a framework for North to South engagement in order to improve the relations between the two.
Its delegates meet five times every year.
Cde Hlongwane heads the country’s delegation, which comprises representatives from the two MDC formations and members of the secretariat.
The next meeting will be held in Zambia in February next year.
Online Reporter