Includes bibliographical references (pages 271-297) and index.

The road to an African Criminal Court -- Domestic prosecutions of international crime -- State practice and universal jurisdiction -- The ICC and accountability -- The ICC and complementarity -- The question of African ownership -- The ICC and the issue of immunity -- The purpose of the ICC -- The international criminal law section : institutional ideology and purpose -- Accountability before the African Court -- The African Court and complementarity -- Reasserting African ownership -- Understanding immunity under the Malabo Protocol.

"We are determined to deal once and for all with the scourge of conflicts and violence on our continent, acknowledging our shortcomings and errors, committing our resources and our best people, and missing no opportunity to push forward the agenda of conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping and post- conflict reconstruction. We, as leaders, simply cannot bequeath the burden of conflicts to the next generation of Africans"-- Provided by publisher.

"In An African Criminal Court Dominique Mystris explores the potential contribution of a regional criminal court to international criminal law and justice across the continent. As set out in the Malabo Protocol, the court's approach to international core crimes builds on from the current international system. Yet, the additional crimes and region-centric approach reflect the continental concerns. To fully realise the court's contribution, the African Union's institutional objectives and approach to justice, peace and security, the author argues for the inclusion of the court within the African Peace and Security Architecture. By adopting such a holistic understanding of the Malabo Protocol courts within the AU structure, a more accurate depiction of the potential of an African criminal court emerges" --Back cover.