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A Court struggling for impact: complementarity at work in Guinea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2025

Marco Bocchese Open the ORCID record for Marco Bocchese [Opens in a new window]
Marco Bocchese*
Affiliation:
Department of International Relations, Webster Vienna Private University, Vienna 1020, Austria
*
Email: marcobocchese@webster.edu
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Abstract

Among all the situations scrutinised by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Guinea has received the least scholarly attention. This article fills that gap by analysing the ICC's preliminary examination of Guinea (2009–2022) and testing claims that it represents a success for the Court. Based on 25 interviews in Conakry, it examines the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) and its diplomatic engagement with state authorities, showing that Guinea is a partial success story. However, this success extends beyond the textbook application of complementarity rules – it reflects lessons learned by the OTP following previous diplomatic missteps in Guinea and other contexts. The analysis underscores that ICC scrutiny is deeply shaped by political dynamics, with favourable domestic and international conditions playing a crucial role. This case study not only sheds light on ICC-state relations but also offers insights into how the Court can navigate political challenges to fulfil its mandate.

Keywords

Political violenceInternational Criminal Courtlegal assistanceexternal judicial scrutinyGuinea

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Modern African Studies , Volume 62 , Issue 4 , December 2024 , pp. 313 - 336
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

*

For their valuable feedback on earlier drafts, I sincerely thank William Reno, Rachel Beatty Riedl, Ana Arjona, as well as the editors of The Journal of Modern African Studies and two anonymous reviewers. I am also grateful for the 2023–2024 Webster Faculty Research Grant, which supported my fieldwork in Guinea.

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