The military-led West African nations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger on Monday announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing it as a “neo-colonial” imperialist instrument.
The juntas that seized power in Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey between 2020 and 2023 have since formed a confederation known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), seeking to distance themselves from the West, particularly former colonial ruler France.
The ICC, based in The Hague, was “an instrument of neo-colonialist repression in the hands of imperialism,” the three countries declared in a joint statement.
“The ICC has proven itself incapable of handling and prosecuting proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, and crimes of aggression,” they added.
The governments further stated that they intend to develop “indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice.”
Under ICC rules, a state’s withdrawal only becomes effective one year after it formally submits notification to the UN General Secretariat.
The three countries have recently deepened ties with nations such as Russia, whose President, Vladimir Putin, has been the subject of an ICC arrest warrant since March 2023 over the war in Ukraine.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger continue to battle deadly violence from jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. However, their own armies have also faced allegations of committing crimes against civilians.
Established in 2002, the ICC’s mission is to prosecute perpetrators of the most serious crimes—including war crimes and crimes against humanity—when national courts are unwilling or unable to act.
The alliance of sahale states must have known the challenging factors, international implications of their decisions before taking their stand. These are sovereign nations that have the right of choice without jeopardizing the over all interest of their citizens . The question is this, since after pulling out of the rest of west African states, have they faired well, economically and otherwise? Judge by yourself.