Okowa has secured a full nine-year term at the International Court of Justice after winning overwhelming support from the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council.
Kenyan jurist Phoebe Okowa received 183 votes in the General Assembly and 13 votes in the 15-member Security Council, clearing the required majorities in both bodies. Her new term will run from February 6, 2027, to February 5, 2036.
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Okowa wins decisive UN vote
The final General Assembly ballot saw 191 valid votes cast, with six abstentions.
Okowa received 183 votes while Peru’s Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza received two, far above the 97 votes required for election.
The Security Council separately confirmed that Okowa had also secured the absolute majority needed there, completing the two-stage election process used for judges of the ICJ.
Sierra Leone withdraws candidate
The contest had gone through several rounds before Sierra Leone withdrew its candidate, Professor Charles Chernor Jalloh, and backed Okowa.
The move helped consolidate African support around the Kenyan jurist and cleared the way for the final ballot.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei welcomed the result, saying it reflected international confidence in Okowa’s legal experience and ability to serve on the court.
Second ICJ election for Okowa
Okowa was first elected to the International Court of Justice in November 2025 to complete the remaining term of former judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, who had resigned.
That initial term runs until February 5, 2027.
Her latest victory therefore gives her a full term rather than another short appointment.
Distinguished career in international law
Before joining the ICJ, Okowa was a member of the United Nations International Law Commission.
She resigned from the commission after her election to the world court, with Nigerian international lawyer Olufemi Elias later elected to fill the vacancy.
Okowa has built a long academic and professional career in international law and has been involved in work covering state responsibility, environmental law and international dispute resolution.
Her re-election extends Kenya’s representation at one of the world’s most important judicial institutions.
What the ICJ does
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
Based in The Hague, it settles legal disputes between states and issues advisory opinions on questions of international law referred to it by authorized UN bodies and agencies.
Judges serve nine-year terms, and candidates must secure an absolute majority in both the General Assembly and the Security Council.
Okowa’s new term begins on February 6, 2027.
