Kenya's Phoebe Okowa re-elected ICJ Judge for 9-year term

Okowa secured the required majority in elections conducted by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council in New York on Tuesday, November 3, after several rounds of voting involving nine candidates competing for five positions.

She garnered 183 votes in the General Assembly and 13 votes in the 15-member Security Council, securing the seat for the 2027–2036 term.

In the Tuesday vote, Sierra Leone had withdrawn the candidature of its candidate, Professor Charles Chernor Jalloh, and backed Okowa in a move aimed at retaining Africa’s seat on the court.

In a statement, Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said it had withdrawn Jalloh’s candidature and supported the Kenyan judge’s election.

“Today we withdrew Prof. Charles Jalloh’s candidature and backed Judge Okowa to keep Africa’s seat on the Court. Africa first,” the mission stated.

Okowa was among five candidates elected to the court alongside Professor Dapo Akande of the United Kingdom, François Alabrune of France, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud of Jordan and Rena Lee of Singapore.

The five judges will begin their nine-year terms on February 6, 2027, and serve until February 5, 2036.

Her re-election has drawn congratulatory messages from Kenyan leaders, including President William Ruto, who praised her achievement and legal standing.

In a message shared on X on Wednesday morning, Ruto congratulated Okowa on her re-election, describing it as a significant achievement for Kenya and recognising her contribution to international law.

Former Chief Justice David Maraga also congratulated the Kenyan jurist, describing her victory as a resounding endorsement of her expertise and the confidence the international community has placed in her.

“The resounding victory is an affirmation of the world’s full confidence in one of Kenya’s finest jurists to tackle international justice and the rule of law during this difficult time in global governance,” Maraga stated.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei also welcomed Okowa’s election, saying it reflected the international community’s confidence in her ability to serve the court at a critical time.

Sing’oei thanked members of the General Assembly and Security Council for supporting her candidature. He also acknowledged Sierra Leone, South Korea and Ecuador for withdrawing their candidates after the third round of voting, saying the move helped avoid a prolonged electoral process.

Okowa first joined the ICJ in November 2025 after being elected to fill a vacancy left by Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, who resigned. Her initial appointment was for the remainder of his term, which was due to end on February 5, 2027.

She is a Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London and previously served on the United Nations International Law Commission, becoming the first African woman to serve on the expert body.

Okowa holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, a Bachelor of Civil Law degree and a doctorate from the University of Oxford. She has also served as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.

Her election in November 2025 made her the first Kenyan to serve as a judge of the ICJ since the court was established in 1945.

The ICJ, based in The Hague, Netherlands, is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It settles legal disputes between states and issues advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN institutions and agencies. Unlike the International Criminal Court, it does not prosecute individuals.