Kenyan Lawyer Professor Phoebe Okowa has been elected as a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
In a statement on Wednesday, November 12, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei announced that Okowa was elected to the position by both the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the UN Security Council after four rounds of voting.
The Kenyan lawyer defeated three other candidates in the vote held on Wednesday to clinch the prime position.
“After four rounds of voting, Prof Phoebe Okowa has been duly elected by both the UNGA and UN Security Council, a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), defeating three other candidates,” said PS Sing’Oei.
The Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary lauded Okowa for her victory and commended Kenya’s diplomatic teams in New York and Geneva for their role in securing the win.
“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,” he added.
Kenya nominated Okowa to the position on 27 February 2025, through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
In a diplomatic note, the Kenyan government hailed Professor Okowa as a competent and highly qualified individual to serve at the International Court.
“The Government of the Republic of Kenya is convinced that Professor Okowa is competent and well qualified to contribute to the work of the ICJ.
“The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Kenya requests the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Djibouti to circulate this note to the Member States of the African Group for their valuable support,” the note read in part.
Professor Okowa is currently a Professor of Public International Law and Director of Graduate Studies at Queen Mary University of London.
In 2021, she was elected to the International Law Commission for a period of five years, starting January 1, 2023.
Professor Okowa previously served as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague.
She graduated at the top of her class with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with First Class Honours from the University of Nairobi in 1987.
Professor Okowa then joined the University of Oxford on a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Scholarship, obtaining the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law in 1990.
She later completed her doctoral thesis at Oxford in 1994.
