The International Criminal Court has expressed concern after Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced plans to pull out of the Rome Statute, warning that the exits could weaken global efforts to end impunity for serious crimes.
In a statement, the Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties said it “regrets” the decision by the three Sahel nations, all currently under military rule.
“The ICC stands at the heart of the international system of accountability, and its effectiveness depends on sustained and unequivocal support from the international community,” the Presidency said. “The strength to pursue justice can only be found through unity of purpose.”
The court urged the three countries to remain within the Statute and to raise any concerns through the Assembly of States Parties rather than disengage. It stressed that withdrawal does not erase legal obligations that arose while they were members.
Under Article 127(1) of the Rome Statute, an exit takes effect one year after the ICC receives formal notice. The court confirmed it received Niger’s “instrument of withdrawal” on 18 June 2026, nine months after the junta first announced its intention to leave. Mali and Burkina Faso made a joint announcement in September 2025, describing the court as “an instrument of neo-colonialist repression.”
Until that one-year period lapses, the ICC said, all three states remain fully bound by their obligations as members. Even after withdrawal, Article 127(2) means they must still cooperate on cases and investigations that began before the exit date.
“Withdrawal does not affect any pre-existing cooperation obligations arising from criminal investigations or proceedings which were underway before the withdrawal took effect,” the court’s Public Affairs Unit said.
The ICC, based in The Hague and created in 2002, prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression.
The Presidency noted that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger had contributed to the Assembly’s work in support of an independent and impartial court, and encouraged all three to return to constructive dialogue.
Source: bbc.com