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The West African countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for becoming “a tool for neocolonial repression.”
The announcement, in a joint statement published on Monday, is the latest example of diplomatic upheaval in West Africa’s Sahel region following eight coups between 2020 and 2023.
The three countries, which are ruled by military officers, have already split from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and formed a body known as the Alliance of Sahel States.
They have also curbed defence cooperation with Western powers and sought closer ties with Russia.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have been members of the ICC, located in The Hague, for more than two decades.
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The countries said they viewed the court as incapable of prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of aggression, and genocide.
However, they did not specify examples of where the countries believed the ICC had fallen short.
The countries are battling Islamist militant groups that control large swathes of territory and have staged frequent attacks on military installations this year.
Human Rights Watch and other groups have accused the militants, as well as the militaries and partner forces of Burkina Faso and Mali, of possible atrocity crimes.
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