WASHINGTON — The United States has welcomed Chad’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing the move as part of a broader effort by countries to reclaim what Washington calls their national sovereignty from a “flawed institution.”
The U.S. Bureau of African Affairs, through Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia, said Washington supports Chad’s move and urged other ICC member states to follow suit.
“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 bureau said in a statement posted on social media.
The statement referenced U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying Washington would not surrender its sovereignty to what it described as an “unaccountable global tribunal.”
“As Secretary Rubio has stated, the United States will never surrender its sovereignty to an unaccountable global tribunal, and we are launching a comprehensive, whole-of-government campaign to end the ICC’s illegitimate overreach,” the statement added.
The U.S. called on all remaining ICC members to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court.
Chad announced that it had begun the process of withdrawing from the ICC after notifying United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who serves as the depositary of the Rome Statute. The Chadian government said the decision followed a review of the court’s performance since it began operating in 2002.
In its explanation, Chad accused the ICC of having a “limited and uneven” record and alleged that the court’s investigations have disproportionately focused on African countries.
“The decision is the result of an in-depth examination of the functioning of the International Criminal Court since its creation in 2002,” Chad’s Foreign Ministry said, arguing that the institution had demonstrated what it described as selectivity in its work.
The ICC was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The court has historically faced criticism from some African governments, which have argued that it has concentrated too heavily on cases from the continent.
Chad’s withdrawal announcement comes amid renewed international debate over the future of the ICC. Several countries have recently announced plans to leave the court, including Venezuela, while Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have also moved away from the institution.
The ICC has defended its role as an independent judicial body mandated to investigate serious international crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to act.
The latest developments have also coincided with internal challenges at the court, including the removal of Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan following a vote by the ICC’s governing body amid misconduct allegations, which he has denied.
For Africa, where the ICC has conducted several high-profile investigations and prosecutions, Chad’s decision is expected to reignite debate over the continent’s relationship with international justice institutions and questions around sovereignty, accountability and reform.
