AFRICA, Nov. 26 -- For decades, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has positioned itself as the global arbiter of justice. But in much of Africa, it is increasingly seen less as a neutral institution and more as a tool wielded against leaders pursuing national interests that conflict with Western agendas. Today, as donor governments subtly signal displeasure with Tanzania, analysts warn the country could be the next target in a pattern of selective accountability that has already ensnared several African states.

African skepticism toward the ICC did not emerge in a vacuum. By 2017, frustration within the continent had reached a breaking point, prompting the African Union Assembly of Heads of State in Addis Ababa to adopt what became ...