Chad Joins Growing Trend of ICC Withdrawals Amidst U. S. Pressure and African Criticism BODY: N’Djamena, Chad – The government of Chad has initiated the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), marking its official exit from the institution that prosecutes war crimes and humanitarian law violations.
Chad’s decision follows a series of withdrawals from African countries, with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger having already announced their exits. These withdrawals are part of a broader trend, reflecting increasing criticism of the ICC’s perceived bias against African nations.
The Chadian government has cited the ICC’s “limited “and “uneven “effectiveness, along with an alleged focus on African countries, as reasons for its withdrawal. Out of the 13 investigations opened by the ICC since its inception, nine have targeted African states, compared to four in other regions, according to Chadian officials.
The move comes amidst escalating U. S. Pressure on the ICC.
The U. S. Government has long been critical of the ICC, with the Trump administration openly declaring war on the institution.
Most recently, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign to “systematically disable “the ICC’s ability to function. This campaign has been fueled by the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024. Washington’s antipathy towards the ICC has intensified, with the U.
S. Deputy secretary of state for African affairs urging Chad to reconsider its membership in the Rome Statute. This call followed a phone conversation in which the U.
S. Expressed concerns about the ICC’s functioning.
The ICC, established in 2002, is the first court with the authority to hold individuals criminally accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
However, the recent surge in withdrawals, including Chad’s, raises questions about the court’s future and its ability to effectively address international crimes. Before the recent withdrawals, only Burundi (2017) and the Philippines (2019) had pulled out of the ICC. Hungary’s withdrawal announcement came just before Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit in April 2025.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: aljazeera
Source: AFP and Reuters
