Withdrawal of Sahel nations from international court sparks concern

The leadership of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute has voiced unease over the announced withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning that such a move could undermine global efforts to combat impunity.

In an official statement, ASP President Päivi Kaukoranta expressed regret over the decision, stressing that the departure of these three nations threatens to weaken international cooperation in criminal justice. She emphasized the ICC’s role as a cornerstone of the global justice system and urged the three countries to reconsider their stance, remain party to the Rome Statute, and continue engaging with the Assembly’s proceedings.

The presidency also highlighted that member states possess mechanisms to voice concerns within the Assembly, advocating for dialogue over withdrawal. It further clarified that exiting the Rome Statute does not absolve a state of obligations incurred while it was a party to the treaty.

This development follows Niger’s formal notification of withdrawal, which the Court received on June 18, 2026, via the United Nations Secretary-General, the treaty’s depositary. Under the Statute’s provisions, this withdrawal will take effect one year later, on June 18, 2027.

In September 2025, the leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—declared their intention to leave the ICC. In a joint statement signed by Malian transitional leader General Assimi Goïta, then serving as AES chair, they criticized the Court for its alleged failure to effectively prosecute perpetrators of grave crimes and accused it of practicing a “selective justice.” The AES also framed the ICC as a tool of “neocolonial repression,” condemning its perceived inaction on certain crimes while targeting actors outside what it described as the “circle of institutionalized international impunity.”