Kenya’s Professor Phoebe Okowa has been elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a full nine-year term after securing the required majority votes in both the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
Okowa was among nine candidates competing for five positions in elections held simultaneously by the two UN organs on Tuesday.
The other judges elected are Professor Dapo Akande of the United Kingdom, François Alabrune of France, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud of Jordan and Rena Lee of Singapore.
The five successful candidates will begin their terms on February 6, 2027, serving until 2036 on the 15-member court based in The Hague, Netherlands.
Okowa’s election guarantees Kenya’s continued representation at the world’s principal judicial organ, where she has served since November 2025 after winning a by-election to fill the vacancy left by Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, who resigned.
Her initial mandate was set to expire on February 5, 2027, prompting Kenya to mount a fresh diplomatic campaign to secure her a full term.
The latest victory also marks a historic achievement for Kenya, with Okowa having become the first Kenyan to serve as an ICJ judge following her election in 2025.
In a congratulatory message, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said her election reflected the international community’s confidence in her ability to serve the court at a consequential time.
Sing’oei thanked members of the UN General Assembly and Security Council for supporting her candidature. He also acknowledged Sierra Leone, Korea and Ecuador for withdrawing their candidates after the third round of voting, saying the move helped avert a prolonged electoral process.
He congratulated the other successful candidates and thanked the teams that supported Okowa’s campaign.
Okowa is a professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London, where she also serves as Director of Graduate Studies.
She was elected to the UN International Law Commission in 2021, becoming the first African woman to serve on the expert body. She was also appointed by Kenya as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in 2016.
The ICJ was established under the UN Charter in 1945 to settle legal disputes between states and issue advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN institutions and agencies.
Okowa’s election strengthens Kenya’s presence in international legal institutions and ensures the country’s continued representation on a court whose decisions shape the interpretation and application of international law.
