The International Criminal Court has officially acknowledged receiving formal notifications from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger regarding their intention to withdraw from the ICC. 

These three West African nations, integral members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), have now initiated the year-long formal process to sever their ties with the International Criminal Court.

This move follows their initial declaration in September 2025, when they publicly denounced the ICC as a “neocolonial tool of repression.”

As the world’s permanent tribunal for prosecuting grave international offenses, the International Criminal Court is mandated to pursue individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, particularly when national judicial systems are unable or unwilling to act.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the presidency of the ICC’s governing body confirmed that Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger submitted their official letters, thereby activating the one-year procedure for their formal disengagement from the Rome Statute, the foundational treaty establishing the ICC. This decision by the Burkina government and its allies marks a significant development in Faso news today.

Despite these developments, the ICC has urged the three African nations to maintain open dialogue within the Assembly of States Parties, encouraging them to voice any concerns they hold regarding the Rome Statute.