Chad to join raft of withdrawals from International Criminal Court

Key Points:

• Chad has announced its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), joining a recent wave of African countries pulling out, citing concerns over the court's perceived bias and limited effectiveness.
• The Chadian government criticized the ICC for disproportionately targeting African nations, noting that nine of the 13 investigations since the court's inception involve African states.
• Chad's decision follows similar withdrawals by neighboring Sahel countries Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all under military governments accusing the ICC of selective justice.
• The move comes amid escalating US opposition to the ICC, particularly after the court issued arrest warrants against Israeli officials, with US officials urging Chad and others to reconsider their ICC membership.
• The ICC, established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity, has faced recent challenges including the dismissal of former prosecutor Karim Khan amid allegations of politicization.