Kenya is celebrating a historic milestone as Professor Phoebe Okowa becomes the first Kenyan elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Her appointment marks a breakthrough for the country and the African continent in global legal leadership.
Prof. Okowa secured her seat at The Hague on November 12, 2025, after winning a decisive majority in elections held by both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.
She received 106 votes in the General Assembly and 8 in the Security Council, surpassing the required thresholds and signalling strong international support.
A Career of Firsts
Prof. Okowa is a renowned expert in public international law and currently serves as Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London.
She holds a First Class Honours LLB from the University of Nairobi, the first woman to achieve this distinction, and earned her BCL and D.Phil. from Oxford University.
She has served as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and appeared as Counsel before the ICJ in major international cases.
In 2023, she became the first African woman elected to the UN International Law Commission.
A Global Voice for Justice
Her election to the ICJ follows the resignation of Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf and is expected to bring fresh perspectives to the bench, especially in representing diverse legal systems and advancing global jurisprudence.
African Union Commission Chairperson H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf praised her achievement, calling it “a proud moment for Africa” and “a testament to the continent’s growing contribution to global rule of law and multilateralism.”
