Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger withdraw from ICC

Three West African nations—Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—announced they will immediately withdraw from the International Criminal Court, saying the court is an instrument of neo-colonialist repression. The leaders said they would not recognize the authority of the ICC, which is based in The Hague, and noted that withdrawal formally takes effect one year after the United Nations is notified.

In a joint statement, they accused the ICC of failing to prosecute proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression. They said they want to set up indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice and rejected ICC oversight. The leaders added that the ICC has proven itself incapable of handling those crimes. "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.

Observers have described the move as a coordinated shift by military authorities who have been in power in the three countries after coups between 2020 and 2023. The nations, which form the Confederation of Sahel States, are among the few remaining that have pursued closer ties with Russia in recent years and have moved away from Western partners. Earlier this year, the three countries also withdrew from the regional bloc ECOWAS in a separate move that underscored their rejection of demands to restore democratic rule.

The decision comes as the Sahel region continues to face violence from jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, with security forces accused of abuses in some cases. The three states have argued that regional peace and justice should be pursued through indigenous and locally led mechanisms rather than international prosecution.

Russia has strengthened its ties with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, further isolating them from Western powers and from France, a former colonial ruler in the region. In 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russia's President Vladimir Putin over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, a move that has been cited by observers in explaining the broader geopolitical context of the Sahel's shift away from Western-led institutions.

The ICC has not yet responded to the announcement. Since its founding in 2002 to pursue genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression, the court has launched 33 cases, with all but one involving an African country. The withdrawal will take effect one year after the United Nations is notified, a standard provision under the court's statute, leaving observers to watch how the move affects international accountability in the region.

The development highlights a broader realignment in the Sahel as governments in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger seek to chart a path independent of traditional Western leverage, while partners around the globe assess the implications for regional security, justice and diplomacy.