The International Criminal Court, Economic Sanctions, and the Responsibility to Protect as Instruments of Conflict Prevention

This chapter explores the relationship between three international instruments: the International Criminal Court, economic sanctions, and the Responsibility to Protect in conflict prevention. Drawing on conflict resolution literature, it examines how the interaction between those implementing these international measures and their recipients influences the instruments' effectiveness in this domain. It explores the incentives that these mechanisms provide to discourage conflict initiation and extension, underscoring the importance of cooperation with local institutions. Paradoxically, the chapter contends that the establishment of these instruments can sometimes contradict this need, exacerbating power imbalances in asymmetric conflicts. Furthermore, the absence of cooperation between international and domestic actors can nurture anti-Western and narratives, undermining prevention efforts. The prevalence of these factors questions the complementarity of these instruments, calling for a re-evaluation of policymaking approaches.