Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have jointly announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in a recent statement. The governments of these three Sahel states criticized the ICC as being a tool of neo-colonial repression by imperialism and a symbol of selective justice.
According to the statement, the ICC has failed to prosecute blatant cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression. The governments expressed disappointment that the court had remained silent on perpetrators of such crimes and instead targeted individuals outside what they referred to as the “institutionalized circle of impunity,” which they claimed violated the ICC’s own statute.
The decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the ICC was made known by the governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger through a joint statement issued in Bamako. They emphasised their commitment to safeguarding their sovereignty and promoting peace and justice through national mechanisms that align with their social values. Additionally, they pledged to uphold human rights and reject all forms of impunity.
In light of their withdrawal from the ICC, the three countries intend to explore domestic mechanisms to address human rights issues within their own borders. It is essential to note that Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger were all members of the Economic Community of West African States. Following military takeovers in these countries, they signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter in Bamako in September 2023, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as a regional cooperation agreement.
