Chad begins process to withdraw from International Criminal Court amid bias claims

Chad's military government says it has begun the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, becoming the latest African state to move away from the tribunal. The announcement was made on Monday and places Chad among a growing group of countries that have recently said they will leave the court. The ICC, based in The Hague, prosecutes war crimes and other serious violations of humanitarian law.

Sponsored

The government said the court's effectiveness was limited and uneven, and accused it of focusing too heavily on African countries. In its statement, Chad said that of the 13 investigations opened by the court since it came into force, nine concerned African states, while four were opened in other regions but without what it described as concrete progress. The country is the fifth state in recent months to announce a withdrawal from the tribunal.

Chad's move follows neighbouring Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which also have military governments and jointly announced their withdrawal in September. Those governments accused the court of selective justice. The latest announcement comes as the United States increases pressure on the ICC, adding another layer of strain to an institution that has long faced criticism from some governments over its focus and reach.

The timing is significant because the ICC has become a point of wider geopolitical dispute, not only over African cases but also over its handling of high-profile international warrants. Washington's hostility toward the court has intensified since it issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Chad's statement said the decision to quit followed a request by Washington, and that a US deputy secretary of state for African affairs had pressed the government to reconsider its membership during a phone call on Thursday.

Sponsored

The withdrawal also reflects a broader pattern in the Sahel, where military-led governments have increasingly aligned their foreign policy positions. Chad's announcement adds to questions about the court's standing in parts of Africa, where support for international justice has often been mixed. It also raises the prospect of further diplomatic fallout between African governments, the ICC and the United States.

What remains unclear is how quickly Chad will complete the withdrawal process and what practical effect the move will have in the short term. The government has not given a detailed timetable, and the ICC has not yet publicly responded in the supplied material. The next developments to watch are whether other states follow Chad's lead and whether the court faces further political pressure in the coming days.

#Chad #InternationalCriminalCourt #withdrawal #Africa #internationaljustice