Chad announced on Monday its intention to exit the International Criminal Court (ICC), leveling charges of inefficiency and institutional bias against African states against the tribunal.
The nation formally submitted notification to the United Nations to initiate its departure from the body, which was originally created under the Rome Statute to hold individuals accountable for severe international atrocities, according to The Associated Press. Under tribunal rules, the withdrawal procedure requires a minimum of one year to take effect.
Chad's decision makes it the fourth African state to initiate an exit from the ICC since 2025. Last year, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger each announced their intentions to withdraw from the tribunal based in The Hague.
The move adds to mounting obstacles for the court, following the July 24 dismissal of chief prosecutor Karim Khan amid allegations of misconduct.
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that Washington was initiating a initiative to eliminate what he characterized as a threat to national sovereignty posed by the ICC. Furthermore, an executive order signed in February 2025 by US President Donald Trump levied sanctions against the court in response to its probes involving American ally Israel.
In a social media statement, the US Bureau of African Affairs urged additional member states among the 125 signatories to abandon the Rome Statute.
“The United States welcomes Chad’s decision to withdraw from the ICC and join the growing number of nations reclaiming their sovereignty from this flawed institution," the agency posted.
Massad Boulos, senior adviser for Middle Eastern and African affairs at the US State Department, commended the announcement online, emphasizing that “no diplomatic option will be off limits in the campaign to dismantle the ICC’s threat to Americans."