Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali Exit ICC, Calling It an Instrument of Neo-Colonialist Repression
The military-led Sahel nations vow to create homegrown justice systems after severing ties with The Hague tribunal.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (September 23, 2025)
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — comprising Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali — has announced an immediate withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling the tribunal a tool of “neo-colonialist repression.”
In a joint statement on Monday, the three West African countries, all ruled by military governments, accused the ICC of selective prosecutions and an inability to fairly investigate and try war crimes.
They said the court’s actions have consistently targeted African nations while ignoring abuses by powerful states, reinforcing their decision to disengage.
The military leaders declared plans to establish their own mechanisms to consolidate peace and justice, pledging to craft regional institutions capable of investigating and prosecuting serious crimes. “Our people deserve a justice system free from foreign interference,” the statement read.
This unprecedented move deepens the Sahel bloc’s ongoing effort to distance itself from Western influence and to assert its sovereignty, following earlier withdrawals from ECOWAS and the expulsion of French troops.
Some Western analysts warn the exit could complicate future accountability for atrocities in the region’s long-running conflicts with terrorist groups.
Under the Rome Statute, a formal withdrawal normally takes effect one year after notice, but the AES insists its decision is immediate, signaling further strain between the alliance and international legal institutions.
Many Africans have welcomed the decision, questioning how a handful of Western nations could establish a court to which they themselves are not bound. They argue it is unjust for those countries to arrest others and enforce laws they refuse to accept for themselves.
Critics argue that the ICC appears quick to allege crimes whenever African nations deviate from Western or imperial interests, therefore it makes sense to leave ICC, while calling on other African countries to follow in their footsteps.
