Kenya’s Phoebe Okowa Elected As Judge To The International Court of Justice
Phoebe Okowa, a Kenyan law expert, has been elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nations’ primary judicial authority.
Ms Okowa was elected on Wednesday by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. She will occupy the seat until February 5, 2027.
Okowa was elected to the International Court of Justice following Judge Abdulqawi A. Yusuf’s departure on September 30, 2025.
Prior to her election on Wednesday, Ms Okowa served on the United Nations International Law Commission, as Counsel for Namibia at the International Court of Justice, Co-counsel for the International Trade Union Confederation, and Co-counsel for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
She is also a professor of public international law at Queen Mary University in London.
Ms Okowa’s election came after four rounds of voting by the General Assembly and the Security Council.
Ms Okowa’s victory, according to Kenyan Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, is a historic milestone for Kenya because it is unique.
With profound gratitude to UN member states, Kenya announces the election of Prof. Phoebe Okowa as Judge of the ICJ, securing victory by a marked majority
— Permanent Mission of Kenya to the UN 🇰🇪 🇺🇳 (@KenyaMissionUN) November 12, 2025
A historic first for Kenya reflecting broad confidence in her credentials, integrity, and contribution to international law pic.twitter.com/rbcJD17C2f
“Professor Okowa’s victory is a proud moment for Kenya and the African continent,” said Mudavadi in a statement on Thursday.
“It demonstrates that, for an increasingly sought-after Court, Member States are cognizant of the need for equality in participation and equity in opportunity, ensuring that the composition of the Court reflects the diversity of legal systems and traditions across the international community.”
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“This victory demonstrates confidence in Prof. Okowa’s judicial competence and Kenya’s standing. I commend our New York and Geneva Teams for leading the charge,” said Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei.
The ICJ consists of 15 judges who are elected to nine-year terms and may be re-elected.
Currently, it comprises Iwasawa Yuji from Japan, Julia Sebutinde (Uganda), Peter Tomka (Slovakia), Ronny Abraham (France), Xue Hanqin (China), Dalveer Bhandari (India), Georg Nolte (Germany), Hilary Charlesworth (Australia), Leonardo Nemer Caldeira Brant (Brazil), Juan Manuel Gómez Robledo (Mexico), Sarah H. Cleveland (United States of America), Bogdan-Lucian Aurescu (Romania), Dire Tladi (South Africa), Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud (Jordan).
Kenya’s Phoebe Okowa Elected As Judge To The International Court of Justice
