Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Announce Withdrawal from the International Criminal Court

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced in a joint statement their withdrawal from the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court, confirming that the decision will take effect immediately in accordance with the procedures outlined in the statute.

Burkina Faso's Minister of Communications, Bingwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, stated during the reading of the statement that this decision comes as a sovereign step for the three governments and in response to the demands of the Sahel States Union and the international community.

The three countries described the court as "a tool of oppression against African states" and announced their intention to establish a regional court of their own. The acting Prime Minister of Niger, General Mohamed Tumba, explained that the court's judges often make decisions without compelling evidence and rely on false claims regarding alleged human rights violations, reflecting a bias against African countries.

According to the Rome Statute, the withdrawal process officially takes one year from the date of submitting the written notification to the court.