The exchange unfolded on X after Hudson criticised the U.S. Embassy in Kigali for reposting U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's latest criticism of the ICC.
The embassy had shared Rubio's statement declaring that the United States 'will never surrender sovereignty to an unaccountable global tribunal' and announcing what he described as a comprehensive campaign to end what Washington calls the ICC's 'illegitimate overreach.'
Reacting to the embassy's post, Hudson argued that Rwanda was an inappropriate example for the United States to use in criticising the court.
'This feels so discordant coming from our embassy in Kigali, a country that has benefitted from restorative and international justice and is often cited as a reason for creating the ICC,' Hudson wrote.
He argued that criticism of the ICC should also be accompanied by recognition of the role international justice mechanisms play in promoting accountability.
Responding directly to Hudson on Friday, Makolo said Rwanda has never regarded the ICC as central to its pursuit of justice.
'Rwanda is the wrong example to use to defend the ICC. We have consistently opposed the ICC as a selective, unaccountable institution which has been used to target Africans disproportionately,' Makolo wrote.
She explained that after the Genocide against the Tutsi, Rwanda established Gacaca, a community-based justice and reconciliation system that handled nearly two million cases over a ten-year period.
According to Makolo, the Gacaca courts delivered justice efficiently and at relatively low cost while uncovering the truth, ensuring accountability, and helping rebuild communities torn apart by the genocide.
'Gacaca was pivotal to Rwanda's recovery, progress and stability,' she said. 'A distant, biased court such as the ICC could never have delivered justice and reconciliation on that scale—not in our lifetime.'
Hudson, who is Managing Partner at political and investment risk advisory firm 54 Advisors, is an analyst specialising in African security, governance and geopolitical risk. He previously served in the U.S. government, including as Director for African Affairs at the White House National Security Council during the George W. Bush administration and as chief of staff to successive U.S. Presidential Special Envoys for Sudan.
The exchange comes amid renewed criticism of the ICC by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. In his statement, Rubio accused the court of attempting to become 'the unaccountable arbiter of a new global law' with powers that threaten U.S. sovereignty.
'We will teach the ICC the full meaning of American resolve,' Rubio said.
