By HAN News Desk
NEW YORK — Kenya has won a hard-fought contest for a seat at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), securing victory after four rounds of voting at the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
The seat became vacant following the departure of Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, who previously served as both a member and president of the world court.
Kenya’s candidate, Professor Phoebe Nyawade Okowa, a distinguished legal scholar and international law expert, will now take up the position as the first Kenyan woman to serve on the ICJ bench.
According to official results, Kenya won with 106 votes, while Sierra Leone, which had mounted a vigorous diplomatic campaign for the same seat, obtained 79 votes. The process required four voting rounds before a clear majority was reached.
Both the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council are responsible for electing ICJ judges, who serve nine-year terms at the court’s headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.
Kenya’s victory is being hailed in Nairobi as a major diplomatic achievement, strengthening the country’s presence in international judicial institutions. Professor Okowa’s appointment is also seen as a milestone for African women in international law.
The ICJ, established in 1945, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, responsible for settling legal disputes between states and providing advisory opinions on international legal questions.
