Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have jointly announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), denouncing it as a neo-colonial tool used by powerful nations to repress weaker states.
The three countries, now ruled by military juntas following coups between 2020 and 2023, said the decision reflects their rejection of Western influence and their growing shift toward self-determination. United under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), the governments in Ouagadougou, Bamako, and Niamey declared that the court in The Hague has failed in its mission.
In a statement released Monday, they accused the ICC of ignoring “proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, and crimes of aggression,” while serving as “an instrument of neo-colonialist repression in the hands of imperialism.” The three nations also pledged to build homegrown frameworks for justice and conflict resolution, insisting that peace in the region must be secured through indigenous mechanisms.
Under ICC rules, a withdrawal only takes effect a year after it is formally submitted to the UN General Secretariat. If completed, the move will further cement the Sahel bloc’s realignment away from its former colonial power, France, and closer to partners such as Russia. Notably, Russian President Vladimir Putin has faced an ICC arrest warrant since March 2023 over the war in Ukraine.
The Sahel states continue to battle deadly jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, conflicts that have devastated rural communities and claimed thousands of lives. Their armies, however, have also faced accusations of committing abuses against civilians.
Since its creation in 2002, the ICC has positioned itself as the world’s court of last resort, tasked with prosecuting perpetrators of the gravest crimes when national governments are unable—or unwilling—to act. With Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger now turning their backs on it, the court faces fresh criticism over its credibility and reach in Africa.
