The ICC cannot act unilaterally because:

• It does not have its own police force or independent enforcement powers
• It cannot enter or obtain evidence in sovereign countries without the country’s permission.

As a result, the ICC depends on the “cooperation and assistance” of countries in order to facilitate investigations and prosecutions. Cooperation and assistance may include:

• Allowing access to documents and other evidence;
• Tasking domestic personnel to assist the OTP
• Helping locate witnesses and victims; and
• Assisting in the identification of crime sites