Chad’s government has made a landmark decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). In an official statement released on July 27, 2026, N’Djamena criticized the ICC for what it describes as an « undeniable bias », particularly against African nations, citing a flawed and inconsistent judicial approach.
On the same day, Chad’s authorities formally notified the United Nations Secretary-General—the depository of the Rome Statute—of its sovereign withdrawal from the ICC, as outlined in Article 127 of the Statutory framework. The move follows an extensive review of the Court’s operations since its establishment in 2002, with authorities concluding that its performance has fallen short of expectations in both effectiveness and fairness.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Chadians Abroad justified the withdrawal by pointing to ICC statistics updated as of May 11, 2026. Of the 125 States Parties to the Rome Statute, 33 are African. Since its inception, the Court has opened 13 investigations, with a disproportionate number targeting African countries. According to the data, « nine of the ongoing investigations pertain to African States, compared to just four in other regions, with limited tangible progress ».
The statement highlights that, as of the cited date, « six of the seven individuals detained by the Court are facing proceedings related to African situations, while only one case involves a situation outside the continent ». Chad’s government argues that these figures reinforce the widely held perception of a persistent « judicial imbalance », where the ICC’s focus remains disproportionately directed at the Global South, especially Africa. Officials condemn what they describe as a « politically motivated misuse » of the Court’s mandate.
In response, Chad is urging the African Union and its member states to bolster African judicial systems, advocating for the development of a « more equitable, balanced, credible, and effective continental justice framework » that upholds national sovereignty. Despite this withdrawal, N’Djamena reaffirms its unwavering commitment to combating impunity for the most serious crimes, asserting that African judicial institutions now possess the growing capacity to fulfill this role independently.
