Home Featured News Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger withdraw from ICC

Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger withdraw from ICC

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Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have jointly announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of serving as a tool of “neocolonial repression” and demonstrating bias against African states.

In a strongly worded joint statement issued on Monday, September 22, the military-led governments of the three West African nations said the ICC had lost its legitimacy and had become “a global example of selective justice.”

“The ICC has proven itself incapable of handling and prosecuting proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, and crimes of aggression,” the statement read, criticizing what the juntas see as a pattern of political interference and double standards.

The announcement comes amid growing anti-Western sentiment in the Sahel and follows a series of decisions by the three countries to distance themselves from Western institutions and allies.

In 2023 and 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger exited the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under similar accusations of foreign interference and unjust pressure.

The governments—each established following military coups between 2020 and 2023—have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a confederation aiming to deepen military and political cooperation. The bloc has increasingly shifted away from traditional Western allies, particularly former colonial power France, and moved toward strategic partnerships with Russia.

In their joint declaration, the three nations also said they were working to develop “indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice,” suggesting a move toward regional or national legal systems as alternatives to international tribunals.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger remain plagued by violent insurgencies linked to extremist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. While the three countries have intensified military campaigns to combat jihadist threats, their armies have also been accused of serious human rights abuses and crimes against civilians—allegations that could fall within the ICC’s mandate.

Critics argue that the ICC’s withdrawal could weaken accountability for wartime abuses in the region. Human rights organisations warn that local judicial systems lack the independence and capacity to investigate and prosecute crimes committed by state actors or armed groups.

The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, is a permanent tribunal established in 2002 under the Rome Statute. It is mandated to prosecute individuals—not states—for crimes of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression, particularly in cases where national courts are unwilling or unable to act.

Although 124 countries are parties to the Rome Statute, several major powers—including the United States, China, Russia, and Israel—have not ratified the treaty and do not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.

The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger further underscores growing tensions between African nations and international legal institutions, and raises questions about the future of international justice in conflict-prone regions.

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