Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Withdraw from ICC, Say It’s A Tool Of Neo-Colonialism

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have taken a bold step by withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), asserting that it operates as a vehicle of neo-colonial repression. The military governments of these three Sahelian nations argue that the court selectively prosecutes war crimes and proclaim their intention to champion human rights through their own cultural values.

This move aligns with their previous exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing concerns over sovereignty and external influence.

However, the situation is complex. Human rights organizations and UN investigators have raised alarms about alleged war crimes committed by Malian and Burkinabé forces, as well as allied militias, during their military operations against Islamist insurgents. These accusations highlight a troubling backdrop where atrocities from both state and non-state actors have taken place. While the national governments maintain that investigations are underway, they have yet to produce findings for public scrutiny.

The ICC, established in 2002 and headquartered in The Hague, was designed to address serious international crimes like genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Notably, although every country in the European Union is a member, significant global players like the United States, Russia, and Israel have opted out.

Despite their wealth in resources like gold and uranium—often exploited by foreign companies—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger continue to grapple with profound challenges as some of the world’s least developed nations. Strategically located in the Sahel region along key smuggling and migration routes to Europe, these countries find themselves at the heart of intensifying regional power dynamics.

Since 2020, military juntas have overthrown democratically elected governments in all three nations, citing failures to combat rampant Islamist insurgencies. In a striking pivot, these governments are not only distancing themselves from Western alliances but also forging increasingly robust military ties with Russia. This dramatic shift underscores the growing complexities of geopolitics in the Sahel, where the stakes are higher than ever.