The military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have declared their intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of functioning as a “neo-colonial instrument of repression.”
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the juntas said the Hague-based court had “proven itself incapable of handling and prosecuting proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, and crimes of aggression.”
One-Year Withdrawal Process
Under ICC rules, a country’s withdrawal takes effect one year after formally notifying the UN secretary-general. Until then, the court retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the nations were members.
The Sahel states pledged to establish “indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice” to replace the ICC’s oversight.
Pivot Away from the West
The move deepens the trio’s strategic shift away from Western powers, especially France, and reinforces their alignment within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Their ties with Russia have also grown stronger, despite Moscow’s President Vladimir Putin being under an ICC arrest warrant since 2023 over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
Security Challenges and Accusations
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger continue to fight jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Human rights organisations have accused their forces of civilian abuses—claims the juntas consistently deny.
The ICC, founded in 2002, was created to try perpetrators of the world’s most serious crimes when national courts fail to act. The Sahel withdrawal adds momentum to long-standing African criticisms that the court disproportionately targets the continent.
