Gambia may not quit the International Criminal Court (ICC) after all.

President-elect Adama Barrow told German DW television in an exclusive interview that "there is no need for us to leave the ICC".

He said ICC was advocating good governance – and that was "our principal".

"We will come back to the Commonwealth and will be part of all international organisations," DW quoted Mr Barrow saying.

"The moment we take office, we will investigate most of the things that have taken place in this country."

Under President Yahya Jammeh, Gambia notified the United Nations that it was withdrawing from ICC, becoming the third African country to give formal notice of a pullout.

South Africa and Burundi also ignored appeals from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to reverse their decisions and have sent letters confirming that they are quitting the ICC.

READ: 'Don't go!' ICC officials appeal to African defectors

Banjul's decision to pull out of the court struck a personal blow against the tribunal's chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, a Gambian lawyer and former Justice minister.

Gambian Information Minister Sheriff Bojang charged that the ICC had been used "for the persecution of Africans and especially their leaders" while ignoring crimes committed by the West.

Mr Barrow defeated President Jammeh in a December 1 election, marking the end of a 22-year rule by the latter.