BURKINA FASO, MALI AND NIGER REPUBLIC RESIDENTS HAIL ICC EXIT AS STEP TO SOVEREIGNTY

‎People in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have welcomed the Alliance of Sahel States’ decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), viewing it as a move toward greater independence.

The three military-led countries, formed in 2023 and increasingly aligned with Russia, criticized the ICC as a tool of neo-colonial repression. Residents expressed support for the move, emphasizing sovereignty and the need for states to handle their own social and economic justice. While supporters see the withdrawal as a step toward autonomy, international observers warn it could limit accountability for crimes committed amid ongoing violence and allegations of atrocities by security forces.