Chad announces plan to withdraw from International Criminal Court

The Government of Chad has announced plans to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), arguing that the Hague-based tribunal has disproportionately focused its investigations on African countries while failing to deliver equal justice in other regions.

The announcement was made on Monday in a government statement following what officials described as a comprehensive review of the court’s performance since it began operations in 2002.

According to the Chadian government, the review found that the ICC’s effectiveness has been “limited and uneven” across different regions of the world.

“An in-depth review of the functioning of the International Criminal Court since it began operating in 2002, as well as its record, shows that its effectiveness remains limited and uneven across different regions,” the government said in a statement.

The government also criticised what it described as the court’s overwhelming focus on Africa, noting that nine of the 13 investigations opened by the ICC involve African countries.

“Out of the 13 investigations opened by the court since it came into force, nine concern African states, while only four relate to other regions without any concrete progress,” the statement added.

Chad further argued that the court’s current caseload reinforces concerns over regional imbalance.

“The court has only seven people in custody, six of whom are being prosecuted in African situations,” the government said.

The decision makes Chad the latest African nation to move towards exiting the ICC, following similar announcements by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which jointly declared in September their intention to leave the court, describing it as an instrument of external influence.

According to Chad’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the decision also followed diplomatic exchanges with the United States. The ministry said the US Deputy Secretary of State for African Affairs had urged Chad during a recent telephone conversation to reconsider its membership of the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the ICC.

“The American side expressed its concerns about the functioning of this institution and called on Chad to review its accession to the Rome Statute,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The announcement comes amid growing scrutiny of Chad’s alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan, where several international organisations have raised concerns over the country’s possible role.

Established in 2002, the International Criminal Court prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. Chad’s withdrawal, if completed, would further deepen concerns about the court’s relationship with African states and its future role on the continent.