The military juntas governing Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced their immediate withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a joint statement on Monday, the three West African nations accused the global tribunal of being an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression.”
The governments, which form the Alliance of Sahel States, stated they would no longer recognise the authority of the Hague-based court. They argued that the ICC has proven incapable of prosecuting proven war crimes and has unfairly targeted less privileged nations, echoing long-standing criticisms of an anti-African bias within the institution. This move towards ICC withdrawal marks a significant step in the region’s shifting diplomatic landscape.
The decision follows a series of coups in the three countries between 2020 and 2023, which led to their increasing isolation from Western partners, including the former colonial power, France. The juntas have since strengthened ties with Russia, whose president, Vladimir Putin, is subject to an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine.
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A shift towards regional justice
In their declaration, the three leaders expressed a desire to establish “indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice” to handle such matters internally. The announcement of the ICC withdrawal is the latest coordinated action by the trio, who also simultaneously exited the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) earlier this year after rejecting the bloc’s demands to restore democratic rule.
While the withdrawal is stated to be with immediate effect, the formal process requires notifying the United Nations, after which it officially takes effect one year later. The court, established in 2002 to prosecute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, has not yet officially responded to the announcement. The finalisation of the ICC withdrawal will cement the countries’ pivot away from established international legal frameworks.
Image: From left: Mali’s Assimi Goita, Niger’s General Abdourahamane Tiani and Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traore. / Reuters
