A Palestinian application to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) will take effect in early April

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced that a Palestinian application to join the International Criminal Court (ICC) will take effect in early April.

Following a meeting with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in Tunis, Abbas said their talks had focused on the suffering the Palestinians as a result of Israeli violations.

Abbas began a three-day visit to Tunisia on Thursday, becoming the first Arab president to visit the North African state since Essebsi won the presidential election in November of 2014.

The Tunisian presidency, meanwhile, said that Abbas would discuss the latest developments on the Palestinian front with Tunisian officials during his visit.

"The visit also serves as a chance to discuss means of boosting cooperation between the two states," the presidency added in a statement.

Soon after taking the oath of office last December, Essebsi said the Palestinian cause would be one of his foreign policy priorities.