ICC 'concerned' over withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has expressed concern over the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from its founding treaty, warning that the decision could weaken international efforts to hold perpetrators of the world's gravest crimes accountable. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ICC's Assembly of States Parties—the body representing the court's 125 member countries—said it regretted the decision by the three military-led West African nations, stressing that international justice is strengthened when countries work together. It warned that leaving the court risks undermining the global fight against impunity for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger announced last year that they would withdraw from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the Hague-based court. The three countries accused the ICC of delivering selective justice and described it as "an instrument of neo-colonial repression in the hands of imperialism." The three countries, all governed by military administrations following coups, have increasingly distanced themselves from Western-backed institutions. They formally established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2024 after leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing concerns over sovereignty and regional security.
The ICC, established in 2002 and headquartered in The Hague, prosecutes individuals—not governments—for serious international crimes, including genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. Although it currently has 125 member states, several major global powers, including China, India, Russia, the United States and Israel, are not parties to the Rome Statute. Despite the withdrawals, legal experts note that a country's exit from the ICC does not automatically end obligations arising from investigations already underway. The court's long-running investigation into alleged crimes committed in Mali, for example, remains unaffected by the withdrawal process. The ICC has urged the three Sahel nations to reconsider their decision, maintaining that continued cooperation is essential to ensuring accountability for victims of the world's most serious crimes.
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