Niger pulls out of International Criminal Court after calling it neo-colonialist
Niger's military government has formally announced its withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Calling for Mali and Burkina Faso to follow suit, the government described the court as « an instrument of neo-colonialist repression directed against Africa. »
Niger's Justice Minister Alio Daouda told reporters in Niamey on Tuesday that the withdrawal from the Rome Statute had been published in the official gazette and notified to the UN Secretary-General. Under the statute, withdrawal takes effect one year after notification.
The military government has steadily distanced itself from France, ECOWAS and Western institutions since the 2023 coup. Daouda accused the ICC of bias, noting that « of the 32 cases the court has opened since its creation, 29 have targeted African leaders. » An ICC spokesperson called the announcement « regrettable, but it does not change the judicial basis for prosecutions in Africa. »
Mali and Burkina Faso have yet to announce concrete steps, but the three countries' Alliance of Sahel States will discuss the issue in Bamako in September. The European Commission said it would launch a « strict review » of budget support to the three nations. Human Rights Watch warned the decision narrows accountability options for victims in the region.
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