The government of Chad announced its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday, citing limited efficiency and variable geometry in its operations.
“This decision is the culmination of a thorough examination of the ICC’s functioning since its entry into force in 2002, as well as its record, which remains limited and with variable geometry,” said the Chadian government in a statement.
The move comes amid criticism of the court’s focus on African countries, with nine out of thirteen ongoing investigations focusing on African states, while four are in other regions without concrete progress.
Chad has been accused by Sudanese forces and several NGOs of providing arms to paramilitary groups opposing the Sudanese army since April 2023, leading to a deadly civil war.
The Chadian government argued that this decision would compromise the success of ongoing initiatives, including a complaint filed in 2025 with several NGOs regarding suspected complicity in international crimes linked to the supply of arms from the UAE to the Forces for Rapid Support (FRS).
Chad’s move follows Venezuela’s withdrawal from the court last week, which highlighted concerns about the court’s bias towards African and Latin American countries at the expense of the global South.