Kenya's Phoebe Okowa wins nine-year term at International Court of Justice

Kenya will retain its place at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for the next nine years after Professor Phoebe Okowa defeated eight other contenders in an election that secured her the backing of both the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

Okowa was among nine nominees seeking five available positions in the simultaneous elections held by the two UN bodies on Tuesday.

Her successful bid gives her a full mandate on the 15-member court, ending uncertainty over her continued stay following her initial election in 2025.

She will join four other successful candidates who will also take up their positions on February 6, 2027, for terms running until 2036.

The other elected judges are Professor Dapo Akande of the United Kingdom, François Alabrune of France, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud of Jordan and Rena Lee of Singapore.

Akande teaches Public International Law at the University of Oxford and serves on the UN International Law Commission. Alabrune is a French legal expert and diplomat, while Hmoud is already serving on the court after being elected in 2025 to occupy a vacant position.

Lee represents Singapore as Ambassador for International Law and previously headed negotiations that produced the UN agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Okowa's election follows her earlier appointment to the court in November 2025 through a by-election occasioned by the resignation of Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf.

However, that victory only secured her a temporary position until February 5, 2027, making the latest election necessary for her to obtain a full nine-year mandate.

Kenya subsequently intensified its diplomatic efforts to secure her continued presence on the court, with the latest outcome guaranteeing the country's representation until 2036.

Her achievement is particularly historic as she became the first Kenyan to serve as a judge of the ICJ when she won the earlier election in 2025.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei welcomed the outcome, saying it demonstrated the confidence the international community had in Okowa's ability to serve the court during an important period.

He expressed gratitude to members of the UN General Assembly and Security Council for backing her candidature, while also recognising countries whose decisions helped bring the election to a conclusion.

Sing'oei specifically acknowledged Sierra Leone, Korea and Ecuador for withdrawing their candidates after the third round of voting, saying their move helped prevent a prolonged contest.

He also congratulated the four other successful candidates and thanked the teams involved in coordinating and supporting Okowa's campaign.

The Kenyan judge brings considerable experience in international law to the position, having established herself through academic work and participation in international legal institutions.

She is a Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London, where she also serves as Director of Graduate Studies.

In 2021, she made history by becoming the first African woman elected to the UN International Law Commission, an expert body dealing with the development and codification of international law.

Her involvement in international legal affairs also includes her appointment by the Kenyan government in 2016 as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

Established in 1945 under the UN Charter, the International Court of Justice is the United Nations' principal judicial institution.

The court handles legal disputes between countries and issues advisory opinions on questions of law referred to it by authorised UN bodies and agencies.

With Okowa's full-term election, Kenya is assured of continued representation on the international judicial platform, where decisions play an important role in shaping how international law is understood and applied.