Chad announces plans to withdraw from International Criminal Court

Another blow to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as Chad says it will join Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Venezuela in starting the process of quitting the tribunal.

In a statement on Monday, the government said the ICC’s effectiveness is “limited and uneven” and accused the Hague-based institution of focusing on African countries.

"The court has only seven people in custody, six of whom are being prosecuted in African situations," the statement said.

The announcement comes amid allegations of Chad’s suspected involvement in the war in neighbouring Sudan between the army and paramilitaries.

Last week, the Chadian foreign minister’s Facebook page said the US had pressured N'djamena to reconsider its ICC membership.

But the minister later denied the US was behind the withdrawal. Rather, Chad “no longer felt in step with the Court as it currently operates,” he said on Monday.

The ICC prosecutes individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Earlier this month, the US said it was launching a campaign against the Court, saying it posed "an intolerable threat to US sovereignty."