Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced on September 22, 2025 their withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023. These countries joined the ICC in the early 2000s, but in practice the ICC is continuing investigations only in Mali. Since the conflict in Mali began in 2012, the ICC has indicted leaders of extremist groups. An arrest warrant is still outstanding for a leader of an al-Qaeda–affiliated extremist group who is operating in the Sahel region.

The ICC’s selective approach and the need for these countries to fully assert their sovereignty have been cited as the reasons for the withdrawal. Indeed, the ICC has long been criticized for taking up certain cases while not pursuing others, and in particular for focusing excessively on Africa.

However, in recent years it has also handled cases outside Africa, in part reinforcing the Court’s universal mission. The arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and the issuance of arrest warrants for the Russian president and for leaders of Israel and Hamas can be seen as efforts to address such criticism. At the same time, in 2017 and 2025 the United States imposed sanctions on the ICC over investigations into alleged U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan and over arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, which is said to have led to the Court’s weakening.

Human rights organizations have condemned the AES countries’ withdrawal from the ICC. In response, the AES has stated it will establish a “Sahel Court of Justice,” rooted in regional realities, to protect human rights. The AES countries would follow Burundi and the Philippines, which have already left the ICC. Hungary has also announced its withdrawal.

Learn more about the AES countries → “Changing international relations in West Africa”

International Criminal Court (ICC) (Photo: United Nations Photo / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0] )