Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, under the Sahel Confederation, have announced their immediate withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“The ICC has proven itself incapable of handling and prosecuting proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, and crimes of aggression,” the three West African nations said in a joint statement.
The governments have previously used similar arguments to justify their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
According to the statement, the three countries intend to establish “indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice.”
The leaderships in Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey—who came to power after a wave of political transitions between 2020 and 2023—have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
They have increasingly distanced themselves from Western partners, particularly France, while strengthening military and diplomatic ties with Russia.