Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Quit International Criminal Court, Reject Its Jurisdiction

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), declaring they no longer recognise the court’s jurisdiction.

In a joint statement, the three military-led governments accused the ICC of “arbitrary prosecutions” and acting as an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression.” They maintained, however, that they remain committed to protecting human rights in line with their own national values.

This move mirrors their earlier decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing similar concerns.

Human rights organisations and UN experts have accused the armed forces and allied militias in Mali and Burkina Faso of committing war crimes during campaigns against Islamist insurgents, alongside atrocities carried out by the militants themselves. While national authorities claim investigations are ongoing, no findings have been made public.

The ICC, based in The Hague, prosecutes crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Though all EU nations are members, countries like the United States, Israel, and Russia remain outside the court’s jurisdiction.

Despite possessing abundant gold and uranium reserves — much of which is extracted by European and North American companies — the three Sahel nations remain among the poorest in the world. They also lie along key smuggling and migration routes to Europe.

Between 2020 and 2023, military juntas seized power in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after civilian governments failed to contain Islamist insurgencies. Since then, the regimes have increasingly distanced themselves from Western partners and strengthened military ties with Russia.