Chad's government formally notified the United Nations Secretary-General on July 27, 2026, of its intention to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC) [1, 2, 3, 4].

The ICC, which began operations in 2002, prosecutes individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity [1, 2, 3, 4]. Chad's Foreign Ministry criticized the court's effectiveness as limited and uneven, alleging selectivity and bias against African countries. It pointed out that out of 13 ICC investigations launched since 2002, nine involved African states while the remaining four in other regions showed no concrete progress [1, 2, 4]. Furthermore, six of seven detainees under ICC investigations come from Africa, underscoring its claim of disproportionate focus on the continent [1, 4].

Chad's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ibrahim Adam Mahamat said, "This irrevocable decision by Chad in no way constitutes a renunciation of the moral imperative to provide justice to victims; rather, it reflects the conviction that national judicial systems and African judicial mechanisms are fully capable of carrying out this mission with dignity" [1]. A government spokesman, Gassim Cherif, described the ICC as "a tool of domination, an instrument of neocolonialism" [4].

This announcement follows recent withdrawals by military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in September 2025, who cited similar concerns about the court's fairness and bias [1, 2, 3, 4]. Venezuela also notified the UN on July 31, 2026, of its intention to leave the ICC for comparable reasons [2, 4]. Earlier attempts to leave by Burundi and the Philippines, as well as announced intentions by South Africa and Gambia, form part of a growing trend of skepticism toward the court [3, 4].

The United States has increased pressure on the ICC, urging Chad to reconsider its membership. US officials have recently expressed concerns about the court's functionality, with the US administration referring to the ICC as corrupt and lacking credibility. Frank Garcia Jr., Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, personally contacted Chad on July 24 to discuss ICC membership [1, 2, 3, 4].

According to Article 127 of the Rome Statute, Chad's withdrawal will take effect one year after the UN receives its notification, so the exit will become official in late July 2027 [4].