Three West African nations, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, have formally announced plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of serving as a “tool of neocolonial repression.”

The governments, all led by military juntas that seized power through coups in recent years, declared that the ICC unfairly targets weaker states while sparing more powerful nations.

“The Court has shown itself to be an instrument of selective justice, undermining the sovereignty of our nations,” the joint statement said.

Under the Rome Statute, withdrawal takes effect one year after the countries notify the United Nations Secretary-General. However, any investigations or cases already launched before the effective date will remain under ICC jurisdiction.

The three countries said they plan to create “indigenous mechanisms” for justice and accountability that align with their own values and legal traditions, rejecting what they describe as external interference.

Rights groups have expressed alarm at the decision, warning it could reduce international scrutiny of alleged abuses by both insurgents and national forces in the Sahel, where extremist violence and humanitarian crises remain widespread.

The move marks a deeper geopolitical realignment in the region. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have already distanced themselves from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and now operate as the Alliance of Sahel States, increasingly pivoting away from Western partners towards alternative alliances.