Chad's government notified the UN of its withdrawal from the Rome Statute, citing the ICC's bias against African nations. The foreign ministry noted that nine of 13 active ICC investigations and six of seven detainees involve African cases. Chad joins other African states that have left the court.
The government of Chad has formally notified the United Nations Secretary-General of its withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court. The decision, announced Monday, was attributed to the country's foreign ministry, which stated that the ICC exhibits systemic bias against African nations. The ministry pointed to the fact that nine of the court's 13 active investigations and six of its seven current detainees concern African states.
Chad joins a growing list of African nations that have distanced themselves from the ICC. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger had previously submitted withdrawal notices, following earlier exits by Burundi and the Philippines. The withdrawals reflect a longstanding criticism among African governments that the court disproportionately targets African leaders.
The move comes amid a period of institutional turmoil at the ICC. As The Zioneer has reported, the court has been dealing with a leadership crisis following the suspension of chief prosecutor Karim Khan after a sexual misconduct investigation. Venezuela also recently announced its withdrawal from the Rome Statute, ordered by interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
The Chad withdrawal is the latest in a series of exits that weaken the court's global reach and legitimacy, particularly in Africa, where the ICC has historically focused its investigations.
2 developments
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- StrongReuters: ICC executive board recommends removing chief prosecutor Karim Khan after misconduct probe
- StrongICC dismissed chief prosecutor Karim Khan on Friday over misconduct allegations
- StrongUS launches broad campaign to isolate ICC, targets judges with sanctions, visa bans
Source and signal
- Open-source intake