The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—made up of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—has announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), marking another major challenge to Western influence in Africa. The decision was formalized during an extraordinary summit of the three countries’ justice ministers in Niamey, Niger, on September 16.
In addition to initiating the withdrawal process, the AES unveiled plans to establish a new regional body, the Sahelian Criminal Court for Human Rights (CPS-DH), which it says will serve as a replacement to the ICC for prosecuting crimes in the region.
Under the Rome Statute, which created the ICC, any withdrawal becomes effective one year after official notification. If carried through, the AES exit would represent a further weakening of the court’s global standing.
The Sahel states justified their decision by accusing the ICC of bias and of serving Western geopolitical interests rather than universal justice. Leaders in Niamey, Ouagadougou, and Bamako have increasingly criticized what they see as the selective prosecution of African leaders, while Western powers escape accountability.
The move follows the AES’s earlier withdrawal from the Western-backed Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a step that represented the most significant geopolitical realignment in West Africa since decolonization. Analysts described that decision as a direct challenge to U.S. and French influence in the region, and the ICC withdrawal appears to deepen that trajectory.
The ICC itself has faced mounting criticism in recent years. Earlier in 2025, Hungary withdrew from the court after hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is subject to ICC arrest warrants on war crimes charges. Meanwhile, the United States imposed sanctions on the court and froze assets of its chief prosecutor Karim Khan after warrants were issued against Israeli officials. Washington has also barred Khan and several judges from entering the U.S., further hampering the court’s ability to operate.
The credibility of the ICC has been severely strained, particularly over what many nations viewed as its delayed response to Israeli actions in Gaza. In May 2024, when Khan announced his intention to seek warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, he publicly acknowledged receiving pressure from Western leaders. According to Khan, one told him the court was designed for “Africans and ‘thugs’ like Putin,” remarks that have fueled accusations of double standards.
With the AES setting up a parallel institution, the court’s role in Africa—already contested—appears to be entering a period of serious decline.