NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 13 – Kenyan international law scholar Professor Phoebe Okowa has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after obtaining an absolute majority of votes during a United Nations Security Council session held on Wednesday in New York.
President of the Security Council, Michael Imran Kanu, informed UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock that Professor Okowa secured the required votes to fill a seat that became vacant on September 30, 2025.
In a letter, written following the Council’s 10,040th meeting, Kanu stated that the election was conducted for the purpose of selecting a new ICJ member, with Professor Okowa emerging victorious after obtaining an absolute majority of votes.
Her election represents a major diplomatic achievement for Kenya and underscores the country’s growing influence in international legal and governance institutions.
Following the vote, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs congratulated Professor Okowa, saying her victory after four rounds of voting by both the UN General Assembly and Security Council reflects international confidence in her judicial competence and Kenya’s respected standing on the global stage.
“The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs congratulates Prof. Phoebe Okowa on her election as Judge of the International Court of Justice after four rounds of voting by both the UN General Assembly and Security Council. Her victory over three other candidates reflects international confidence in her judicial competence and Kenya’s respected standing on the global stage,” the ministry said in a statement following the vote.
Nomination in February
Kenya nominated Professor Okowa for election as an ICJ judge on February 27, 2025, through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
The nomination was registered with the Permanent Court of Arbitration and circulated to the UN Mission of Djibouti, which coordinates Eastern Africa’s representation at the UN.
In September, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei led diplomatic efforts to rally support for her candidacy, including an appeal to Japan’s Ambassador to Kenya, Matsuura Hiroshi, seeking Tokyo’s backing for Okowa’s bid.
Born on January 1, 1965, in Kericho, Professor Okowa is an accomplished scholar and practitioner of public international law.
She currently serves as Professor of Public International Law and Director of Graduate Studies at Queen Mary University of London.
Her election to the ICJ builds on an impressive record of international service. In 2021, she made history as the first African woman to be elected to the International Law Commission (ILC) after garnering 162 votes during elections held by the UN General Assembly in New York. Her tenure in the Commission runs from 2023 to 2027.
Professor Okowa’s election to the ICJ marks yet another milestone for Kenya’s legal diplomacy, positioning the country among the few African states represented on the world’s top judicial organ, which settles disputes between nations and provides advisory opinions on matters of international law.
