Africa: The ICC Confirms the Submission of the AES Countries’ Withdrawal Letters

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that it has received the withdrawal notifications from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, triggering a one-year period before their exit from the Rome Statute becomes effective. The three member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which announced their departure in September 2025, accuse the court of being an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression” and denounce its lack of impartiality. The ICC expressed concern over the decision and called on the three countries to continue dialogue within the Assembly of States Parties.