By Charles Pemu 
The West African nations of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all led by military juntas, have announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The three countries stated that they no longer recognize the court’s jurisdiction, accusing it of being an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression” that arbitrarily prosecutes war crimes.
The countries emphasized their commitment to protecting human rights in line with their own values. This move mirrors the argument they used to justify their earlier withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The withdrawal comes as the armed forces of Mali and Burkina Faso, along with their allied militias, face accusations from human rights groups and UN experts of committing war crimes during operations against Islamist insurgencies. The national authorities of these countries claim to be conducting investigations, but no public conclusions have been reached.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all former French colonies, have been ruled by military leaders since a series of coups between 2020 and 2023. The military leaders cited the previous elected governments’ failure to contain the insurgencies as the reason for the takeovers. Since then, the juntas have increasingly turned away from Western partners and sought military cooperation with Russia.
The ICC, based in The Hague, prosecutes serious crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. While all European Union countries are members, major powers like the United States, Israel, and Russia are not signatories to the court.