The government of Chad has declared its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, citing its “limited and inconsistent” effectiveness, as announced in a statement by the presidential spokesperson on Monday.
“This decision follows a thorough review of the ICC’s operations since its inception in 2002 and its track record, which remains limited and uneven in effectiveness,” the Chadian government stated, criticizing the court’s focus on African nations. “Out of the thirteen investigations opened since its establishment, nine target African states, while only four involve other regions—and with no tangible progress in these cases,” the spokesperson noted.
“As of today, the court holds only seven detainees, six of whom are being prosecuted for situations in Africa,” the statement emphasized.
US pressure on Chad
According to a communiqué released Thursday on the website of Chad’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the withdrawal decision was made at the urging of the United States.
The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs raised concerns about the court’s functioning during a phone call with Chad’s Foreign Minister and urged N’Djamena to reconsider its adherence to the Rome Statute.
“The American side expressed reservations about the institution’s operations and called for Chad to re-examine its membership,” the statement explained. However, Chad’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul, clarified to reporters the following day that the decision was not driven by US demands.
Chad’s legal exposure
Chad’s withdrawal comes as it faces accusations from Sudan’s military and multiple NGOs of facilitating arms shipments from the United Arab Emirates to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries. The RSF has been engaged in a deadly civil war against Sudan’s armed forces since April 2023.
“This move undermines ongoing efforts, including a complaint filed in 2025 by NGOs regarding alleged complicity in international crimes linked to arms transfers from the UAE to the RSF,” commented French lawyer Vincent Brengarth. Both warring parties in the Sudanese conflict have been repeatedly accused by the international community of committing war crimes, including systematic attacks on civilians and indiscriminate bombings of populated areas.
“Beyond this specific case, Chad’s withdrawal weakens the global framework for international justice and fuels fears that perpetrators of the gravest crimes may evade accountability,” Brengarth concluded. On Friday, Venezuela also announced its departure from the ICC, with its Foreign Minister, Felix Plasencia, citing a “clear geographical bias” that disproportionately targeted African and Latin American countries at the expense of the Global South.