167 | P a g e APPRAISAL OF THE EFFORTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT IN COMBATING INTERNATIONAL CRIMES

Abstract

The establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) marked a significant milestone in the development of both international humanitarian law and international criminal law, as a decades-long clamour and expectations of scholars and field players alike were met in 2002 following the adoption of the enabling statute in 1998. However, the high enthusiasm that greeted the Court’s commencement of operations appears to have been on a continuous dwindle and now, after over two decades of its operations, the Court has found itself often at the centre of fiercely heated debates regarding its relevance. While proponents of the Court believe it is on a progressive trajectory, major opposition views suggest the Court has largely been a failure.
Keywords: Cases, Challenges, Crimes, International Criminal Court, Statute.