Kenyan judge Okowa re-elected to International Court of Justice
Prof. Phoebe Okowa will serve a second nine-year term on the ICJ from 2027 to 2036 after winning a UN Security Council vote.
Kenya’s Prof. Phoebe Okowa has won re-election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a full nine-year term from 2027 to 2036. She secured her victory after a third round of voting at the United Nations, defeating Peru’s Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza with 13 votes in the 15-member Security Council. Okowa’s current mandate, which began in November 2025 to fill a vacancy, was set to expire on February 5, 2027.
The contest concluded after three other candidates withdrew, leaving Okowa to face her Peruvian rival. Sierra Leone’s UN envoy urged support for Okowa, stating that Africa risked losing its representation on the court if votes remained divided. The envoy highlighted Okowa’s qualifications, including her previous service on the court and her distinction as the first African woman elected to the UN International Law Commission.
Okowa’s re-election ensures Kenya maintains a seat on the 15-member court, with her new term commencing on February 6, 2027. To be elected, candidates require an absolute majority in both the 193-member General Assembly and the 15-member Security Council. The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, based in The Hague, Netherlands.
Why it mattersKenyan judge Phoebe Okowa has secured re-election to the International Court of Justice, ensuring Kenya's continued representation on the global judicial body.