Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Announce Exit from ICC

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Announce Exit from ICC
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The military-led West African nations of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), denouncing it as “a tool of neocolonial repression,” according to Arab News. This move is the latest example of diplomatic upheaval in West Africa’s Sahel region, which has seen eight coups between 2020 and 2023.

The three countries, which are ruled by military officers, have already split from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS and have formed their own body known as the Alliance of Sahel States. The nations have also curbed defense cooperation with Western powers and sought closer ties with Russia.

In a joint statement, the three countries, which have been members of the ICC for more than two decades, said they viewed the court as being incapable of prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, and genocide. The ICC has had an investigation open in Mali since 2013 over alleged war crimes, a probe that was initiated following a referral from the government at the time.