Ouagadougou: The Chadian government has decided to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. N'Djamena officially notified the UN Secretary-General of this decision, justifying it by citing the Court's limited effectiveness and selectivity.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the ministry points out that nine of the thirteen investigations opened by the ICC concern African states and that six of the seven defendants in custody are being tried for cases related to the continent. Chad believes that the ICC's activity has long been concentrated on countries of the Global South, primarily in Africa, which has led to the political manipulation of the institution. "The statistics published by the Court itself are particularly revealing of the undeniable selectivity that has been elevated to a principle, whether this selectivity is intentional or unintentional," the statement emphasizes.

The ministry clarifies that this decision is final, but that it does not signify a renunciation of the fight against impunity or the guarantee of justice for the victims of the most serious crimes. In this context, the Chadian government calls on the African Union and its member states to accelerate the strengthening of African judicial mechanisms in order to build a fairer, more balanced, credible and effective system, while respecting the sovereignty of African countries.

Chad ratified the Rome Statute of the ICC in 2006. According to this treaty, the withdrawal of a State officially enters into force one year after receipt of the notification by the UN Secretary-General. The three countries of the AES, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, had announced their withdrawal from the ICC in September 2025 and filed their official notification in June 2026.