Lloyd Axworthy, a former foreign affairs minister, wants to expand the areas of the world where the International Criminal Court intervenes to prosecute those accused of war crimes. (CBC)

University of Winnipeg president Lloyd Axworthy will join former UN secretary general Kofi Annan on a new committee that offers the International Criminal Court (ICC) strategic advice on justice issues.

The Coalition for the International Criminal Court is a partnership of organizations from 150 countries working to advance the cause of international justice.

Axworthy, a former Canadian foreign affairs minister, was appointed to the coalition's first-ever advisory board on Thursday. The board will be chaired by Annan and will meet twice a year.

Axworthy told CBC News that his role will be to develop broad public support for the ICC. He said he would like to see the court expand its prosecution of war crimes and other atrocities to parts of South America.

But, he admits, it's a challenge to get states to hand over the governing power of their own justice systems.

"It can be controversial at times, because it is challenging fundamental old beliefs of sovereignty by saying to the president of Sudan that, 'You've committed major crimes against humanity … and you have to be held accountable,'" Axworthy said.

The ICC is described on its website as "the first permanent international judicial body capable of trying individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to do so."