GNV News, 5 July 2026

In June 2026, three countries in the Central Sahel region—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—formally notified the UN Secretary-General of their withdrawal from the Rome Statute, which is the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Niger submitted its withdrawal on June 18, and Burkina Faso and Mali did so on June 24. Under the Rome Statute, withdrawals take effect one year after notification.

All three countries underwent changes of government through coups between 2020 and 2023 and are currently ruled by military juntas. They have been scaling back relations with their former colonial power France, while deepening security cooperation with Russia. This withdrawal is thus being positioned as part of a diplomatic shift under the banner of “restoring national sovereignty.” The three states had already withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025, and while they are strengthening trilateral cooperation through the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) established in 2023, they are at the same time moving further away from international and regional frameworks.

The ICC is a permanent international court established in 2002. It intervenes only when domestic judicial systems are unable or unwilling to act, and it has played a role in pursuing responsibility for serious international crimes such as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. While 125 countries are currently States Parties, major powers including the United States, Russia, China, and India are not. The Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC expressed concern that these withdrawals could negatively impact the fight against impunity for serious crimes. The ICC has long faced criticism over the large number of investigations and prosecutions involving African states, with some questioning its impartiality. Against this backdrop, the three countries are criticizing the ICC as a “politicized body that unfairly targets Africa.”

At the same time, according to the ICC, obligations incurred during the period in which a country was a State Party do not lapse after withdrawal, and the investigation into Mali that has been ongoing since 2013 is expected to continue. In the Sahel region, there have been reports of violence against civilians and extrajudicial killings committed by both government forces and armed opposition groups. There is concern that withdrawal from the ICC will widen impunity and deprive victims of opportunities to seek truth and justice.

These developments are prompting a renewed debate on the long-discussed relationship between “national sovereignty” and “international justice.” While the ICC has been criticized for an “Africa bias,” in conflict-affected countries where domestic judicial systems do not function adequately, it has also served as a last resort for victims of serious crimes to seek justice. Withdrawals can be reversed within one year of notification, and attention is now focused on what final decisions these three countries will ultimately make.

Learn more about the background to the Central Sahel states’ announcement of withdrawal from the ICC → “Central Sahel states announce withdrawal from the International Criminal Court”

Learn more about the situation in West Africa → “Evolving international relations in West Africa”