Kenyan law scholar Professor Phoebe Okowa has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, following four rounds of voting by both the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. Professor Okowa will serve until February 5, 2027, completing the term of Judge Abdulqawi A. Yusuf, who resigned from the Court on September 30, 2025.
Before her election, Professor Okowa held several distinguished international law roles, including member of the UN International Law Commission, Counsel for Namibia before the ICJ, Co-counsel for the International Trade Union Confederation, and Co-counsel for the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is also a Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London.
A Historic Milestone for Kenya and Africa
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, hailed Professor Okowa’s election as a “historic milestone” and a moment of pride for both Kenya and the African continent.
“Professor Okowa’s victory is a proud moment for Kenya and Africa. It reflects the growing recognition of equality in participation and diversity in legal systems across the international community,” Mudavadi said in a statement on Thursday.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Korir Sing’Oei, also congratulated the scholar, noting that her appointment underscores both Kenya’s global standing and Okowa’s judicial excellence.
“This victory demonstrates confidence in Professor Okowa’s competence and Kenya’s reputation on the world stage,” he said, commending the Kenyan missions in New York and Geneva for their efforts in supporting her candidacy.
About the International Court of Justice
The ICJ, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, consists of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms, with the possibility of re-election. It settles legal disputes between states and provides advisory opinions on international legal questions referred by the UN.
Professor Okowa now joins an esteemed panel of international jurists, including Julia Sebutinde (Uganda), Xue Hanqin (China), Hilary Charlesworth (Australia), Dalveer Bhandari (India), and Sarah H. Cleveland (United States), among others.
