This will be al-Bashir’s fourth international travel after ICC issued an arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the strife-torn Darfur region last month.

Despite being accused of crimes against humanity, al-Bashir was able to attend Arab Summit in Quatar at the end of March and has taken on the role of the thorn in the ICC’s side. His non-compliance with the ruling, travel to foreign countries and support from fellow leaders has delivered a humbling blow to the Court.

After the meeting is concluded, President Bashir is expected to visit various parts of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Herald also indicated that the session is expected to deliberate on politics, trade, finance and social affairs, among others. The declaration to be adopted by the commission is expected to further enhance the mutual benefits of the two countries and contribute its share in ensuring peace in the sub-region, the paper added.

He is the first sitting Head of State to be indicted by the Court. He was indicted on two counts of war crimes and five counts of crimes against humanity. However, the Hague-based ICC’s pre-trial chamber found there was insufficient evidence to charge him with genocide, but stressed that if the prosecution presents additional evidence the warrant could be amended at a later date.

“He is suspected of being criminally responsible, as an indirect (co-)perpetrator, for intentionally directing attacks against an important part of the civilian population of Darfur, Sudan, murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing and forcibly transferring large numbers of civilians, and pillaging their property,” according to a press release issued by the Court.

An estimated 300,000 people have died in Darfur, either through direct combat or because of disease, malnutrition or reduced life expectancy, over the past five years in Darfur, where rebels have been fighting Government forces and allied Arab militiamen, known as the Janjaweed, since 2003.

Responding to a BBC Hard Talk interviewer, Zeinab Badawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi indicated that his country will not turn al-Bashir to ICC. Explaining the reason he stated that both Sudan and Ethiopia are not signatories to the ICC and he believes that the decision of ICC is not the solution for Darfur crises.

It is recalled that ICC’s March 4, 2009 decision was opposed by the African Union and many African leaders.