Keypoints:
- Okowa elected after extended UN vote
- Succeeds Somalia’s Abdulqawi Yusuf
- Will serve term through February 2027
KENYAN jurist Phoebe Okowa has been elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) following a competitive series of ballots at the United Nations. The election, held on Wednesday, was called to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Somalia’s Abdulqawi Yusuf, who stepped down effective September 30. The information is based on details provided by the United Nations.
Okowa will complete the remainder of Yusuf’s term, which runs until February 5, 2027, marking a significant moment for Kenya’s global legal representation.
Academic credentials and international service
Okowa is a professor of public international law at Queen Mary University of London and a respected legal scholar with decades of experience. Since 2023, she has served on the UN International Law Commission, contributing to developments in international legal norms and state practice.
Her election places her among the 15 judges who make up the ICJ bench, each representing a separate country and distinct legal tradition. The court, headquartered in The Hague, hears disputes between states and provides advisory opinions on questions of international law.
Intensive rounds highlight competitive contest
The ICJ’s Statute requires candidates to obtain an absolute majority in both the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, which vote concurrently but independently. Four candidates contested the seat, and Okowa emerged successful after three rounds of voting in the Security Council and four in the General Assembly — a process that underlined the tight competition for the position.
In the Security Council, an absolute majority requires at least eight votes, while the General Assembly requires more than half of all member states. Only a candidate who secures the needed votes in both chambers can be elected.
ICJ structure and global representation
The ICJ comprises 15 judges serving nine-year terms, with the option of re-election. If a judge resigns or dies before completing a term, a special election is held to choose a replacement for the unexpired portion of that term, as occurred in this case.
The court’s composition is designed to ensure broad geographical and legal representation, reflecting what the UN describes as the ‘main forms of civilisation’ and principal legal systems of the world. Each judge must come from a different country.
Okowa’s appointment strengthens Kenya’s footprint in global legal affairs and underlines Africa’s continued presence within the world court. Her experience and academic background position her to contribute immediately to proceedings already in progress, ranging from territorial disputes to advisory opinions on pressing questions of international law.
