Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announce exit from International Criminal Court

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger declared on Monday that they are withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, accusing it of serving as “a tool of neocolonial repression.” The joint statement marks another major diplomatic rupture in West Africa’s Sahel region, where military officers have seized power through eight coups since 2020. The three nations, which formed the Alliance of Sahel States after quitting ECOWAS earlier this year, have been seeking stronger ties with Russia while distancing themselves from Western powers.

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All three had been ICC members for more than two decades, but now argue the court has failed to deliver accountability for crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Their announcement did not cite specific cases but underscored growing frustration with international institutions. The move reflects a broader realignment in the Sahel, where the governments are pushing back against what they view as external interference. It also raises questions about accountability mechanisms in a region that has long suffered from instability, armed conflict, and widespread human rights abuses.

The withdrawal comes at a time when Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are grappling with Islamist insurgencies that control vast stretches of territory and frequently target military bases. Human Rights Watch and other international organisations have accused both militants and national armies of committing atrocities, including extrajudicial killings and attacks on civilians. In April, United Nations experts warned that alleged executions of dozens of civilians by Malian soldiers could amount to war crimes.

The ICC has maintained an open investigation in Mali since 2013, focused on crimes committed in the northern regions of Gao, Timbuktu, and Kidal, which were once under militant control. That inquiry began after Mali’s previous government referred the situation to The Hague, leading to limited prosecutions. France later intervened militarily in the conflict, but instability persists.

By leaving the ICC, the three Sahel states are cutting off one of the few international legal avenues for prosecuting alleged crimes in their territories. Critics argue this decision could reduce accountability, while supporters see it as an assertion of sovereignty against what they perceive as biased global justice structures.

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