The leadership of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute expressed significant apprehension on Wednesday concerning the declared intent of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). Such a move, the presidency cautioned, could significantly undermine global endeavors to combat impunity.
In an official statement, ASP President Päivi Kaukoranta conveyed regret over this development, emphasizing that the departure of these three nations risks jeopardizing international collaboration in criminal justice. Kaukoranta underscored the ICC’s vital role as a cornerstone of the international justice system and urged the countries to reconsider, remain parties to the Rome Statute, and continue their engagement in the Assembly’s vital work.
The presidency further highlighted that member states possess established mechanisms within the Assembly to articulate their concerns, encouraging them to prioritize constructive dialogue. It also reiterated that a withdrawal from the Rome Statute does not absolve a state of obligations incurred during its period as a signatory to the treaty.
This stance follows the formal notification of Niger’s withdrawal. The ICC confirmed receipt of the notification on June 18, 2026, which was transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the custodian of the Rome Statute. In adherence to the treaty’s provisions, this withdrawal is slated to become effective on June 18, 2027.
Previously, in September 2025, the leaders of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) – comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – publicly announced their collective decision to exit the ICC. A joint communiqué, endorsed by the then-acting president of the AES and head of Mali’s transition, General Assimi Goïta, accused the Court of failing to effectively prosecute perpetrators of the most egregious crimes and denounced what they termed “selective justice.” The AES additionally asserted that the ICC has transformed into an “instrument of neocolonial repression,” criticizing its perceived silence regarding certain offenses while allegedly targeting actors outside the “circle of beneficiaries of institutionalized international impunity.”
