The military-led governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have formally announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), declaring they no longer recognise the court’s jurisdiction.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, the three Sahel nations accused the ICC of engaging in arbitrary prosecutions and serving as an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression” against African states.
They stressed that their commitment to human rights would instead be upheld in line with their own national values and judicial systems.
This marks the second time the juntas have taken a collective stand against international bodies. Earlier in 2025, they announced their exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing sovereignty concerns and opposition to external pressure.
Human Rights Concerns
Human rights organisations and UN experts have repeatedly accused the armed forces of Mali and Burkina Faso, along with allied militias, of committing war crimes during counter-insurgency operations against Islamist militants. The militants themselves have also been accused of carrying out atrocities against civilians.
While national authorities in both countries claim investigations are ongoing, no conclusive findings have been made public.
ICC Background
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals responsible for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. While all European Union countries are members, several major powers – including the United States, Russia, and Israel – are not signatories.
Geopolitical Shifts
Despite being rich in natural resources such as gold and uranium, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger remain among the world’s poorest nations. All three lie within the Sahel region, a hotspot for armed insurgencies and a key migration corridor to Europe.
Between 2020 and 2023, military coups toppled elected governments across the three former French colonies, after years of Western-backed administrations failed to defeat Islamist insurgents.
Since then, the juntas have increasingly distanced themselves from traditional Western allies and deepened security and economic cooperation with Russia.
