By Djinodji SOLMENGAR Rodrigue
N’Djamena, Chad — Chad has pulled out of the Rome Statute, the treaty that set up the International Criminal Court (ICC). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the move on Monday, saying it had notified the UN Secretary-General on July 27, 2026. The withdrawal follows Article 127 of the Statute, which sets out the rules for member states leaving.
Government spokesperson Ibrahim Adam Mahamat signed the communiqué. He said Chad had looked closely at the Court’s record before making the call. The ICC opened its doors in 2002 and has since launched 13 investigations. Nine targeted African states. Only four looked at other regions.
Chad’s government points to this as proof of a long-standing bias, arguing the Court has zeroed in on Africa far more than anywhere else.
Now, Chad is pushing the African Union and its member states to step up. The country wants them to build out African judicial mechanisms, arguing the continent’s own legal systems are ready to handle serious crimes without outside help.
The government insists this isn’t a step back from justice. It says it remains committed to fighting impunity and will still honor its other international obligations.
Chad joins a small group of African nations that have quit — or moved to quit — the ICC in recent years, adding fuel to an ongoing debate across the continent over the Court’s focus on Africa.
