Kenya's Phoebe Okowa elected judge of International Court of Justice

Ms Okowa was elected on Wednesday by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. She will hold the position until February 5, 2027. 

Okowa was elected a member of the ICJ after the resignation of Judge Abdulqawi A. Yusuf on September 30, 2025. 

Before her election on Wednesday, Ms Okowa held various roles, including being a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, Counsel for Namibia in ICJ, Co-counsel for the International Trade Union Confederation and a co-counsel for the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

She is also a Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London. 

Ms Okowa’s election followed four rounds of voting by the General Assembly and Security Council. 

Kenyan Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi says Ms Okowa’s election represents a historic milestone for Kenya, being one of its kind. 

“Professor Okowa’s victory is a proud moment for Kenya and the African continent. 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,” said Mudavadi in a statement on Thursday. 

“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 comprises 15 judges, who are each elected to a nine-year term of office 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).