THE HAGUE — Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have formally initiated a year-long process to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), the court said in a statement.
The three military-led Sahel nations, which have increasingly distanced themselves from Western-backed institutions, submitted notifications of withdrawal to the United Nations, triggering a process that will take effect one year after the notices were received.
The move marks another step in the countries’ efforts to reshape their international partnerships and assert greater political sovereignty following a series of military coups that brought their current leaders to power.
The ICC, based in The Hague, investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression when national authorities are unable or unwilling to do so.
Although withdrawal ends future obligations under the Rome Statute, the court has previously stated that states remain bound by obligations arising while they were members, including cooperation in ongoing investigations initiated before their departure takes effect.
The decision is likely to fuel debate over accountability and justice in the conflict-ridden Sahel region, where armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State continue to carry out attacks despite years of international military and security assistance.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a regional bloc formed after their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The three governments have increasingly pursued a common foreign and security policy aimed at reducing external influence in the region.
