Chad Announces Withdrawal From International Criminal Court

The Government of Chad announced its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) on July 27, 2026, notifying the UN Secretary General of its decision to leave the Rome Statute. Chadian officials described the court's effectiveness as limited and uneven, alleging egregious selectivity in its prosecutions. The government noted that nine of the ICC's 13 investigations and six of its seven detainees are from African states.

The decision follows a July 23 phone call between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for African Affairs Al Ernest Garcia and Chadian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul, during which the U.S. urged Chad to review its membership. While a statement on the foreign ministry's website initially indicated the withdrawal followed a U.S. request, Fadoul later denied that the decision was made at the request of the Americans.

This move aligns with a broader campaign by the Trump administration to isolate the tribunal, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowing to disable the ICC's ability to function following 2024 arrest warrants for Israeli officials. Chad joins Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in exiting the court. The withdrawal occurs as the ICC faces internal instability following the dismissal of Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan over sexual assault allegations and reports that Chad has facilitated weapons shipments to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.