The West African nations of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger on Monday announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, branding it a "neo-colonial" imperialist tool.
The court, based in The Hague, was "an instrument of neo-colonialist repression in the hands of imperialism," the three countries said in a joint statement.
"The ICC has proven itself incapable of handling and prosecuting proven war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes of genocide, and crimes of aggression," they said.
The three states also said they wanted to create "indigenous mechanisms for the consolidation of peace and justice".
Official submission
A state's withdrawal only takes effect one year after the official submission of the case to the UN general secretariat.
The West African countries are facing deadly violence from terrorist groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Daesh.
Founded in 2002, the International Criminal Court's mission is to prosecute the perpetrators of the most serious crimes, such as war crimes, when countries lack the will or capacity to do so themselves.
