The government of Chad announced Monday it will begin the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, following a similar announcement by Venezuela. The decision was made after an 'in-depth examination of the manner of operation of the court,' the government said.
Chad's government announced Monday evening that it will begin the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, citing an 'in-depth examination of the manner of operation of the court.' The decision follows a similar announcement by Venezuela, which formally withdrew from the court and the Rome Statute on Sunday, as The Zioneer reported.
Earlier Monday, The Zioneer reported that Chad's Foreign Minister reiterated that the withdrawal was not a result of US pressure, while criticizing the court's 'excessive focus' on African nations. The Zioneer's earlier reporting noted that Chad joins Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in leaving the court, and that the Foreign Ministry had cited the court's 'limited and uneven effectiveness' and its disproportionate focus on Africa, with nine of 13 ICC investigations targeting African states. Reports also indicated that the US Deputy Secretary of State had asked Chad to leave the ICC last week.
The move comes amid a broader US-led campaign to isolate the ICC, which includes sanctions on judges and diplomatic pressure on states to withdraw. The Zioneer reported on July 13 that the US administration had launched a wide-ranging effort to undermine the court. Chad, a key partner of Israel in the Sahel region, has positioned itself alongside other African nations critical of the ICC's perceived bias.
While the Foreign Minister has denied US pressure, the timing of the announcement following a reported US request leaves the question of external influence unresolved. The withdrawal process itself is expected to take time.
6 developments
- StrongUS launches broad campaign to isolate ICC, targets judges with sanctions, visa bans
- StrongVenezuela's ICC Withdrawal Ordered by Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, Report Says
- StrongUS vows to end International Criminal Court's 'threat' to Americans
- DevelopingColombia's incoming president announces withdrawal from ICC case against Israel
Source and signal
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