BAMAKO, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger on Monday announced their immediate withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a joint statement issued in Bamako, the three countries said they had ratified the Rome Statute between 2000 and 2004 and had since cooperated with the ICC under the treaty as well as related agreements. The three governments said their sovereign decision to quit the Rome Statute "reflects the will of the Sahel Confederation member states to safeguard their sovereignty." In September 2023, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter in Bamako, agreeing to establish the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). On July 6, 2024, the three countries announced the creation of the Confederation of the AES in Niamey, marking a significant step toward establishing an economic-military bloc.