Niger Formalises Exit From ICC

Niger has officially submitted its request to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), nine months after announcing the decision alongside its regional allies, Mali and Burkina Faso.

The three Sahel nations are currently governed by military administrations that came to power through coups between 2020 and 2023. Since taking control, the governments have increasingly distanced themselves from Western institutions and partnerships.

In September 2025, the three countries jointly declared their intention to leave the International Criminal Court, describing the tribunal as an “instrument of neo-colonial repression in the hands of imperialism”. The latest move by Niger formally advances that decision.

According to a statement issued by the ICC and shared with AFP on Tuesday, the court received an “instrument of withdrawal” from Niger on June 18. The country is led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, who heads the military government.

The ICC withdrawal will become effective on June 18, 2027, in line with the court’s rules, which require a one-year notice period before a member state’s exit takes effect. Until then, Niger must continue to fulfil its obligations to the court.

Responding to the development, the International Criminal Court said it respects the sovereign right of nations to join or leave international treaties. However, it expressed disappointment over any decision that weakens global efforts to hold perpetrators of serious international crimes accountable.

The ICC statement did not mention the withdrawal plans of Mali or Burkina Faso. All three countries continue to face security challenges linked to jihadist groups associated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, while their armed forces have also faced allegations of abuses against civilians.

Established in 2002, the International Criminal Court prosecutes individuals accused of grave offences, including war crimes, when national authorities are unwilling or unable to do so. The court currently has 125 member states, although countries such as the United States, Russia, Israel, China, and Myanmar are not members.