US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said on Friday that the US will be lifting sanctions imposed on International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda by the Trump administration. 

Blinken called for a more cooperative relationship with the ICC while maintaining that the US continues to “disagree strongly” with the investigations launched by the ICC into the alleged war crimes committed in Afghanistan by the US military personnel. 

In a statement, Blinken said, “We believe, however, that our concerns about these cases would be better addressed through engagement with all stakeholders in the ICC process rather than through the imposition of sanctions.” 

Also Read: US calls meeting with Iran on nuclear deal ‘a positive step’

Sanctions were imposed on Fatou Bensouda by former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo. Bensouda, the outgoing prosecutor was denied visas after she launched the investigation. 

On Friday, the International Criminal Court welcomed US President Joe Biden’s decision of lifting the sanctions. The head of the Hague expressed “deep appreciation” for the move. 

Head of the Association of States Parties to the ICC, Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi said in a statement, “I welcome this decision which contributes to strengthening the work of the court and, more generally, to promoting a rules-based international order. I trust this decision signals the start of a new phase of our common undertaking to fight against impunity for these crimes.”

She further added that the ICC “always welcomed the participation” of the US in achieving justice for war crimes, despite the fact that the US did not ratify its founding Rome Statute in 1998, reported AFP. 

The friction had previously increased when the Hague launched another investigation into the alleged war crimes committed by US ally Israel in Palestine. The visa bans and sanctions on Bensouda and her staff will be lifted. 

Also Read: Pentagon unveils policy allowing transgenders to serve in military

The Gambian-born prosecutor is set to leave her job in June. She will be replaced by British human rights lawyer Karim Khan, who now can open his work without the burden of looming sanctions, reported AFP.